


A Slow and Steady Seduction

by AnimeCujo



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, M/M, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-13
Updated: 2013-06-12
Packaged: 2017-11-28 21:13:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 36
Words: 196,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/678945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimeCujo/pseuds/AnimeCujo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ciel Phantomhive couldn't wait to graduate, move to NYC and start a career in finance. That is until the only job he could get is at private equity firm as an assistant to a very demanding vice president Sebastian Michaelis. Love or greed, power and pleasure. Which of these things will Ciel choose in the end?</p><p>Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Kuroshitsuji which is created and owned by Yana Toboso.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_21, 22, 23 . . ._

The 20 year old male counted in his head as the elevator he was in ascended the skyscraper in midtown Manhattan.

_39, 40, 41 . . ._

Shifting slightly, he straightened the navy tie and his light gray suit in hopes of looking more professional when he stepped out of the upward moving vehicle. The elevator finally stopped on the 49th floor of the building with a loud ding as the doors opened into a small lobby.  _Alright, let's do this._ Ciel Phantomhive thought while clutching his soft briefcase and striding out into the reception area of Funtom Private Equity.

Pushing open the double glass doors, he walked up to a young blonde male sitting at a desk busy answering incoming calls, not noticing that someone had arrived. "FPE, please hold." The receptionist cheerfully sang into his headset before transferring the call to wherever it needed to go.

Standing over the desk, Ciel cleared his throat in an attempt to get the blonde's attention. The receptionist's head snapped up and a slight blush crossed his pale cheeks. "Oh, Hi!" The receptionist chirped, standing up, "I mean, welcome to FPE. How can I help you?" He extended his hand to Ciel who took it and gave it a firm handshake.

"I'm supposed to start here today." Ciel said slowly, grinning, not wanting to sound like an ass for pointing out the obvious. "The agency sent me over and told me 9 am sharp."

"Oh yeah, yeah!" The receptionist nodded eagerly, "We were expecting you. And it's great that you're here cause we can use all the help we can get! I'm Finny, by the way. Gatekeeper to all who work here and receptionist extraordinaire!" The blonde cheerfully smiled widely.

 _Weird. I thought all New Yorkers were supposed to be uptight assholes._ Ciel smiled back at the blonde in response to his enthusiastic attitude. "Soooo," looking around cautiously, "I was told that I should ask for a Mrs. Rin when I got here?"

"That would be correct, Mr. Phantomhive." Stated a mauve haired woman in thick glasses that just appeared from a hallway next to the reception area. She wore her hair in a bun and was dressed in a white blouse, charcoal A-line skirt and black heels. Extending her hand, "And please, just call me by my first name, Mey." Smiling warmly, Ciel accepted the gesture and shook the outstretched hand, "If you don't mind, just follow me." The office manager motioned for Ciel to come with her back down the hallway.

Ciel matched his pace with the woman and looked around at the office curiously. There was a small kitchen in the hallway that also seemed to be home to a large Xerox machine. "Break room and copier area," Mey informed when she saw him looking. Ciel blushed slightly at being caught investigating his new surroundings.

They continued their walk past a small office on the left, "Bard's office." She nodded in the general direction, "You will meet him later. He is currently out of the office doing hedge fund compliance to a deal we have going through at the moment." Ciel nodded again, trying to looking like he knew exactly what she was talking about. "My office." Shee motioned to a similar looking office on the right.

They turned a corner into what looked like another reception area with a desk that sat right outside another large office, however that was the only thing the space had in common with the previous reception area.

All the walls were floor to ceiling glass with the most amazing views of Central Park. There was a black leather couch directly across from the desk with a glass coffee table in between it and matching black leather chairs. "And this is your desk," she motioned for the male to have a seat at the desk in front of the large office, smiling.

Ciel walked around her and placed his bag on the floor next to his filing cabinet and leaned forward to switch on his monitor.  _Maybe that whole rumor about New Yorkers being jerks is really just a myth,_ he mused. Looking up at Mey, "So, when do I meet my boss?" He sat back as the computer booted up.

Looking thoughtful, Mey placed her index finger on her chin, "In a bit, he is on a call at the moment, I believe." She looked down at the phone on the desk with lights lit up on it. "Tell me, Ciel, what do you know about FPE?"

Leaning back a bit in the chair and running his fingers through his slate colored hair, "Well, Funtom Private Equity is currently one of the fastest growing private equity firms. They originated in London and have offices in LA and Abu Dabai, but have only opened the NY office this past year. My guess is that the NY office is being established to be largest office next to the original office into order to gain a larger foothold into the market in the US. Because, let's face it, if you don't have ground in NYC then you really can't compete with the big boys." Satisfied with his answer, Ciel continued to lean back and waited for a response.

Mey nodded her head a bit in agreement and then broke into a wide smile. "I think you will be just fine here, Ciel. The agency did good this time. I read in your resume that you graduated at the top of your class in finance at Seton Hill with a full academic scholarship and 2 years early to boot. Impressive." Glancing back down to the phone, she noticed the lights were no longer blinking, "You ready to meet your new boss?"

Ciel nodded and stood, readjusting his tie and smoothing his jacket again. He was nervous and he hoped it didn't show. He followed the woman to the heavy oak door with a plaque on it that read "S. Michaelis, Vice President". She rapped on it lightly with the back of her knuckles, leaning her ear near the door to hear a response.

"Enter." Sounded through the door in a deep voice. Mey smiled, nodded at the nervous young man and gripped the door knob to swing it open.

The two stepped into the large office. Ciel took a moment to take in the surroundings; he had never been in a VP's office before. Another set of black leather furniture sat in the corner on top of a fuzzy cream colored rug and over half the room was just floor to ceiling windows like the reception area. All the other furniture was dark mahogany, from the bookshelves behind them to the large desk in the middle where dark head was bent over intently looking at some papers while tapping a pen like a metronome on a leather mouse pad next to a computer. The man with onyx colored hair paid no attention to the two who he had just allowed entrance into his inner sanctum.

Clearing her throat, Mey attempted to get her boss's attention. "Mr. Michaelis?" He continued reading, not looking up. She placed a hand on Ciel's lower back, forcing him to step forward a bit more, "This is your new assistant. Ciel Phantomhive." She smiled brightly and motioned for the young make to say something.

Ciel swallowed hard, trying to find his voice, "Thank you so much for this opportunity, Mr. Michaelis. I hope to learn . ." Ciel was cut off at the man dropped his pen and raised up a large hand in what looked like the sign to halt.

Not looking away from the paperwork, "Is this what the agency sent us?" The question directed at the office manager. "I thought we weren't using them anymore since the last one they sent was some Ivy League idiot that wasn't worth the paper it wiped its ass with." Mey's jaw dropped and she just looked at Ciel, a loss for words. The silence continued on for what seemed like forever until Ciel decided it was time to end it.

"Sir," the male stepped forward again, "I didn't go to an Ivy League school." Ciel clenched his fists at his sides trying desperately to appear relaxed and not as nervous as he actually felt. The statement caused the VP to put down his papers for a moment. He sighed and lifted his head to see who was talking to him and taking up his precious time. Ciel gulped a bit as he stared into the crimson irises of the powerful man.

The VP sat back in his leather executive chair, crossing an ankle over his knee and lacing his long pale fingers through each other. "Oh really." He arched an eyebrow. "So to what third rate hack job school did you come from then?"

Swallowing hard again, Ceil began "Seton Hill. I graduated at the top of my class in finance and . . ."

The VP interrupted, "Seton Hill? What? You couldn't get into Harvard or Yale?" He raised his eyebrow again with skepticism. "Or Mommy and Daddy couldn't afford to buy entrance for their trust fund baby into a better university?" The corner of his thin lips turning upward slightly, he seemed to enjoy the young man's discomfort during this interrogation.

Taking a deep breath, "I had a full academic scholarship to Seton Hill." Ciel was trying his best to keep his voice level, the conversation was starting to make him very angry, "I couldn't afford to go somewhere else even though I did get accepted to Harvard and Yale. And, no, I am not a trust fund baby; single mothers who work for the state don't make that much." The young man lifted his chin up and stared the VP straight in the eye. He was not going to let this man, no matter how important he was to his career, disrespect the mother who had done everything she could to push her son forward in life while his father disappeared only a few months after he had been born.

The VP nodded slowly, "Well then." Leaning forward and placing his laced fingers on the desk, never breaking the defiant stare of his new assistant. "All companies welcome a charity case. It's good for business. Makes us seem more human." He watched as the color rise in his assistant's face and mouth pop open in shock and then quickly, thinking better, snapping it shut. The VP smirked slightly at the sight.

Picking up the paperwork on his desk and resuming his reading, "Mey, please take him to your office and have him fill out all the necessary HR forms. Show him how to use everything as I expect him to be up to speed on the procedures of this office by tomorrow morning." Motioning with his hand that the two were dismissed, the office manager guided the new assistant towards the door. "I will be leaving in 15 minutes to have a meeting with Mr. Mayer at Barclays and will not be back today. Take messages and email them to me." Still not looking up, the VP continued reading even as the door closed and clicked into place leaving him alone and his new assistant fuming on the other side of the door.

* * *

Running up the stoop of his building, he slipped a key into the lock and then proceeded up three flights of stairs until he arrived at 3B. Using yet another key, Ciel unlocked the door and stepped into his 1 and a half bedroom apartment. It was small and the rent was atrociously high, but he was in New York City, the place where people came to follow their dreams and carve out their fortunes, and nothing else could have made Ciel any happier.

Making his way across the small living/dining room/kitchen, he passed his roommate's bedroom on the right, then the bathroom and finally walked into his half bedroom. Dumping his soft briefcase on the bed, he turned around to close the curtain that separated his "bedroom" from the living area.

It was really more of a den than anything else, but they had managed to make it work and Ciel didn't mind the lack of privacy of not having a door. Besides, he was rooming in NYC with his best friend from college, what could have been better?

Sighing, Ciel walked over to a pile of clothes and took off his suit, making sure it was hung up properly before changing into a white undershirt and a pair of black sweat pants. He walked into the bathroom to splash some water on his face. In the process, he took in the reflection in the mirror.

Ciel was attractive, that wasn't really he ever had much doubt about. His slate colored hair was parted on the side and fell smoothly down to his cheekbones and brushed over his ears. Large blue eyes shone brightly from his face and contrasted with pale skin and plump lips that complemented the rest of his features. He was handsome, but more than that, he was beautiful.

The girls had always giggled about how cute he was, which Ciel took in stride since being "cute" never hurt him in the date department. The young man stood about 5,8", slender build, not skinny, but didn't look like he spent all day at the gym either. Cocking his head to the side, Ciel's attention refocused when he heard the apartment front door unlock and swing open.

"Oh Ciel, honey, I'm home!" The voice sang out through the living area. Ciel chuckled as he turned around and headed out to greet his roommate.

"Alois, I thought you were working tonight at Vlada." Smiling at his roomie, Ciel walked over to the ragged couch and flopped down. Alois continued to dance around the room, obviously drunk or high or a combination of the two.

"Nope, nope," Alois sang again, "I don't work there anymore, I quit." The blonde hopped over to the couch and sat on the arm rest. Running his fingerless gloved hand down Ciel's arm, "The manager there was a total bitch. Do you know that he wanted me to suck his cock to get the night of the play off in two weeks?" Alois shoved Ciel slightly and then straightened himself up on the armrest.

Eyebrows lifted and grinning, "So what was the problem?" Ciel asked. "All you would have to do is give him some head and you would have gotten what you wanted. It's not like you haven't used sex to get your way before." Alois shot him a dirty and horrified look.

"Ciel Phantomhive! I am not some cheap whore that will sleep with whoever asks me for my favors." Leaning down, Alois pressed his palms on Ciel's thighs so they were face to face, "But I am a whore who will fuck whoever's large cock amuses me." The blonde then quickly stuck his tongue out to take lick at Ciel's nose before jumping back and laughing.

"That was disgusting, Alois!" Ciel moaned as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "If you're going to do that the least you can do is get me beer." Alois giggled some more while he went to the small fridge to retrieve two Coronas. Handing one to Ciel, he sat on the floor cross legged in front of him.

"Well, you now know how my day went, how was yours, big executive man?" Alois took a large swig before looking back at his roomie.

Ciel sighed, "Oh my God, Alois, it was terrible. The VP is an absolute asshole. And I mean a real God complex asshole. Do you know that he referred to his last assistant as an "it" while I was there?" He looked up to gauge the expression on Alois's face. "And then he called me a charity case when he found out I went to school on a scholarship. Can you fucking believe that?"

Alois stared at Ciel, dumbstruck, "That prick! You should have just walked out then and there, man. Fucking asshole, calling you a charity case. He doesn't know anything about you." The blonde huffed and sat back a bit shaking his head. "Fucking dick."

"Yeah, well." Ciel muttered, peeling the label off the beer bottle, "It doesn't matter because I need this job. It's my foot in the door into the finance world, although I never thought I would be just an assistant when I graduated." He sighed again when he thought about the situation he was currently in.

Alois jumped to his feet, "Well, then quit and go fucking somewhere else. They don't deserve your talents if they can't appreciate you." The blonde crossed his arms over his chest looking satisfied with his screw-the-man attitude.

"As much as I would like to, I can't." Ciel conceded, "It took me 3 months just to get an interview from the staffing agency for any financial firm. Fucking recession." He pounded his bottle down on the coffee table, irritated, "If I had graduated only five years ago I would have been hired as an assistant portfolio manager at any other firm, but now, this is all I could get." Ciel muttered bitterly, his eyes never leaving the bottle.

Alois walked over and sat down next to his friend. Placing arm around his shoulders, "Hey, man, it's the first step." He consoled, "I mean, look at me. One day I will be a famous star on Broadway, but right now, I'm working at gay bars and quitting because I don't want to blow my boss." Ciel cracked a smile and looked at his friend who was wearing a huge grin.

"Get off me, fag." Ciel gently shoved Alois off of him, laughing. "You look like a gay hooker in that outfit." Alois stood up, a feigned look of shock on his face as he looked himself up and down. He was wearing tight black vinyl pants that hung low on his hips and black Doc Martens. On the top all he had one was tight black sleeveless vest and elbow length fingerless black fishnet gloves.

"I will have you know, Phantomhive, that only respectable hookers where this quality of vinyl pants." Alois tried to give his friend a serious glare, but they both ended up laughing at each other. Alois made his way towards the bathroom where he left the door slightly ajar so the conversation could continue. "I'm going to get ready to go out." He called from the bathroom. "So, when is Elizabeth coming to see you?"

Picking his beer and taking a swig, "Uh, I think around Thanksgiving. She has a break from med school then." Ciel slumped down and thought about his girlfriend of the past two years and smiled as he recalled her sweet laugh and bubbly personality. He had met her the first week in college while he was a Freshman/Sophomore and she was Junior and even though he was younger than her, they hit it off and had been together ever since. She had gone to med school in Pennsylvania and had promised to visit him as soon as she had a chance.

Under the shower, Alois hollered out, "So, no fucking for you until then? Man, what are you trying to do? Turn yourself into a monk?" Ciel got up and made his way over to the bathroom door and leaned against the wall outside next to it.

"No, Alois. I'm not going to fuck around on Elizabeth. And we don't fuck, what we have is special." Ciel smiled to himself again as he thought about the first time he and Elizabeth had been intimate. It had been, well, it had been nice, that was the only way Ciel could describe it.

The sound of running water stopped and Alois stepped out of the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around his waist. He was a bit taller than Ciel, but only by an inch or two, he was also two years older since unlike his genius roommate, it took him four years to graduate instead of two. The blonde ran his fingers through his soaked locks and started walking into his bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar again.

"Oh don't get all emotional and mushy on me again about how fucking your girlfriend is so magical and beautiful." He groaned from his room. Ciel smirked when he heard the disgust in his friend's voice. "You know what your problem is, Ciel?"

Ciel walked over to stand in front of the door, an amused expression in his face, "No, but I bet you're going to tell me." Alois stepped out of his room in another racy outfit. This time a tight white wife beater and red leather pants that seemed to only be supported by the studded leather belt on his slender hips and the same Doc Martens from before.

Walking up to his friend and poking him in the chest, "You're suffering from FFS." He spoke with all seriousness as Ciel attempted smirked.

"Ok," a chuckle escaping, "and what pray tell is FFS?" Ciel had to cover his mouth with his hand as he felt the need to laugh beginning to take over his body. Alois just looked so ridiculous when he was trying to be serious, especially in that outfit.

"First Fuck Syndrome." Alois whispered as if it were some top secret thing. "You think you're in love with her because she is the only other person to ever touch your penis." The blonde nodded in agreement with his statement. Ciel just couldn't take it any longer and doubled over laughing so hard that he almost started crying. He made his way back over to the couch again where he flopped himself onto his back, laughing even harder.

"It's not funny, Ciel," Alois stood next to his friend, hands on his hips, pouting. "That sickness will keep your dick from exploring greener pastures and keep you from experiencing new and exciting things." Ciel calmed himself down enough to look up at his friend and tried to subdue the giggles still erupting from his throat.

"Thank you so much for your concern," gasping for breath, "but I think I will be ok, Alois, with just the one person touching my penis besides me." Alois rolled his eyes and turned around towards the door.

"I'm going out. Unlike some people here, I need to get some loving tonight." Opening the front door, Alois looked back at Ciel. "And you had better get some sleep, Mister Bigshot. You've got another big day ahead of you in corporate America."

The blonde giggled and shut the door behind him. Ciel froze at the statement, his jovial mood gone all of sudden.  _Shit_ , Ciel grumbled,  _he's right._


	2. Chapter 2

Ciel gave himself one last quick glance in the mirror before leaving for work. He stepped outside and hugged his navy suit jacket tighter around his body.  _Damn, it's frigging chilly this morning._ He was early October, but the chill of autumn was already making its presence known in the city.

The young man hurried into the FPE office and was greeted by a smiling Finny at the reception desk. "Good Morning, Ciel!" the blonde announced cheerfully. _My God, does this kid ever not smile,_ Ciel thought as he returned the gesture with a small smile of his own.

Walking back to his desk, Ciel put down his briefcase and turned on his computer. He looked at his boss's closed office door and wondered if the devil was here yet or if he had a few minutes to gather his thoughts before the onslaught of asshole-ness began.

As he began to read through his emails and print out various documents, Ciel noticed a figure loom over him. Glancing up, his eyes came to rest on a tall, broad shouldered sandy blonde male. The man had on a dark expensive looking suit and an eat shit grin. Blinking a few times, Ciel decided the silence between them had gone on long enough.

"Um, can I help you?" He asked as the man rocked back on his heel and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So you're the new sacrificial lamb." The blonde stated, still grinning and extending a large hand out to Ciel, "I'm Bard. Michaelis' number two in the office." Ciel stood up and shook the appendage in front of him.  _Oh God, please don't let this guy as big of an ass as my boss,_ Ciel pleaded inwardly.

"I'm Ciel." He confirmed as he released the grip. "I guess it's pretty obvious what I'm here for, isn't it." Ciel reached his right arm behind his neck and scratched it nervously.

"Yeah, well, don't worry too much about Michaelis. He might come off as an ass, but, well, he really is just an asshole." Bard chuckled at the terrified look on the young man's face. "You'll be fine. Just do whatever Sebastian says and things will run smoothly." Then leaning over the desk to whisper something into Ciel's ear, "So, Ciel, is it? You got any ladies lined up here in the city? Cuz you and me could definitely do some damage here in the clubs." As Bard pulled away, he had that same eat shit grin on his face and nodded enthusiastically.

"Actually, I have a girlfriend." Ciel carefully stated, not wanting to upset the number two man in the office on his second day, "She's in med school at the moment, but she's the only lady on my list."

Bard laughed out loud, smoothed out his suit and winked at Ciel. "I bet she's the only one, killer."

"You bet she's the only one what, Bard?" A deep voice asked, walking down the hallway. Ciel looked over Bard's shoulder to see his boss striding towards his office, not looking up from his blackberry.

The VP was dressed as sharply as the day before in a pitch black Hugo Boss suit, red tie, white collared shirt with silver cufflinks and shiny black dress shoes. In his other hand he carried a black leather Burberry briefcase. His ebony hair was tucked back behind his ears, but a few loose bangs fell forward brushing ever so slightly onto his sharp cheekbones and strong jawline.

Ciel's eyes widened at the sight of his superior. It was no doubt that the VP was extremely handsome and the way he dressed just accentuated his power and affluence. The outfit today alone probably cost more than the young man's first car which was a 10 year old Honda hatchback that he bought from a friend's dad when he turned 16.

He watched as the VP strode up to his office, Ciel's eyes never leaving his boss's face has he stopped next to his assistant's desk.  _Jesus, how can someone so good looking be such an ass_ , Ciel thought, not taking time to analyze the statement he had just muttered in his head.

Still not looking up from his smartphone, "Bard, are you bothering my new assistant?" Putting the device in his pocket, the VP gave Bard a disapproving look. His crimson eyes boring a hole through Bard's hazel ones as the number two man squirmed slightly under the intensity of the stare.

"Um, no, Michaelis." Bard fumbled. "I was just welcoming him to the office and wanted to find out what time you were coming in so we could go over the Barclays meeting." Bard reached into his pocket and brought out his own smartphone and began flipping through emails.

Still glaring at Bard, "If you want to know so badly of my whereabouts, I suggest that you try emailing me." The VP's voice was low and monotone as his gaze flitted over to his assistant. "He obviously has no idea what he is doing yet, so I suggest you go straight to the source next time." Ciel's breath stopped just for a moment, as the full force of the red eyes burned into his blue ones.

_Oh God, oh God,_ Ciel freaked,  _I need to do something so that I don't look like a complete idiot. I need to say something, anything, before he has a chance verbally beat me into a bloody pulp._ Ciel gulped hard.

"Good morning, Mr. Michaelis." Ciel began, doing his best to keep his voice even, "I printed out all the documents you sent and I found the articles you were looking for." Ciel's blue orbs desperately searching his boss's eyes for a positive response. The VP narrowed them slightly as if thinking something over before walking to his office and entering it. The young man let out a long breath as the VP walked off and only at that point did he realize he had been holding it in for so long.

"Bard," The boss called from inside his office. "Get in here. We need to discuss the Barclays meeting." Bard shot Ciel a satisfied look before making his way into the VP's office. "Oh, and tell my assistant that it is now 10:15 and I still don't have my Starbucks yet." The statement made Ciel's eyes widen with horror as the realization that he had forgotten something so very important on the second day of the job sank in.

_Shit! Shit, fuck, shit!_ Ciel berated himself as he grabbed his wallet and sprinted down the hallway and out into the busy Manhattan streets.

* * *

The rest of the week was uneventful. The VP spent most of the days in his office with Bard, discussing strategy and client profiles. Except when he left for a meeting, the VP didn't even talk to his assistant and just emailed him with requests. Ciel took messages, ordered lunches and cars, and printed out emails and research materials, never receiving a simple thank you.

Even though the VP barely spoke to him, the young man could not shake this feeling that his boss seemed to want to have some form of interaction with his new assistant regardless of how coldly he treated him. It was like there was something hanging in the air between them every time Ciel walked into his office alone. Some sort of energy that crackled in the air emanating from the silent glances exchanged and the simple requests the VP made.

_Probably all the hot air from his ego,_ Ciel thought about the odd feeling on Wednesday as he set the VP's lunch on his desk. His boss did not say anything at the action, but he did glance up and catch Ciel's eyes, holding them there for a moment before going back to what he was doing. In those few moments, Ciel could feel his heart begin to beat rapidly and his breath catch slightly. It was the oddest feeling and not like anything he had ever experienced before. Ciel decided it was just anxiety and maybe he should just start taking Xanax like the rest of Manhattan.

When the VP was out of the office at meetings, Ciel was bored. He found himself reading every article in  _The Post_  just to keep himself from going insane while doing nothing all day and trying not miss his small hometown in Pennsylvania where things used to make sense.

At about 5 pm at the end of his first week, Mey walked over to his desk a big smile in her face. "How's it going today, Ciel?" She was clutching a manila folder over her chest. The office manager had made a point of coming by every day to talk to the new assistant and Ciel appreciated that fact that she took the time out of her schedule to do so. It was just such a pleasant gesture, something he did not get from his boss.

"Fine," Ciel sighed as he twirled a pencil in between his fingers while the other hand propped up his chin. "How's it going with you?"

Mey giggled, "Oh, just another Friday. I brought you something to cheer you up." The mauve haired women placed a smartphone on the desk in front of the young man's keyboard. "It's your blackberry. You should get used to checking it often. Mr. Michaelis has a tendency to fire off emails at all hours of the night and the best way not to miss something is to keep it charged and on you at all times."

Ciel reached forward and picked up the Blackberry Bold, running his thumb over the track pad.  _Great,_ he thought bitterly,  _now the asshole can annoy me even when I'm not here._ "Hmm, thanks." He mumbled as he placed the smartphone into his pants pocket.

"And," Mey continued, "I came by to let you know that Finny, Bard and I are all going for drinks after work and we would like you to join us. It's kind of a little tradition we have here at FPE that once a month we go out and have a bit of fun." She smiled encouragingly. Ciel looked up at the office manager and couldn't help the smile spreading across his face. Her attitude was infectious.

"Ok, yeah," Ciel confirmed. "I'll come. Where are we going and what time?" It was Friday night and he wasn't doing anything. Besides Alois would be out trolling the gay clubs for some fun and if his roomie did happen to hook up with someone he really didn't want to be home when that happened.

Mey smiled, "Great! We'll meet in about an hour at Ted Montana's in midtown. You know where that is right?" Ciel nodded. "Ok, see you then."

Ciel walked into Ted Montana's at about 6:30 pm. He was late because his boss had sent him some documents to print and then FedEx at the last possible minute.  _Typical._   _Nobody else's time is as important as his own._ Ciel thought angrily about his boss.

The young man scanned the bar until his eyes fell on the trio of his work mates sitting near the bar at a small round table. Making his way over, Ciel pulled up a bar stool as Bard finished some story about a stripper he had banged two weeks ago from Scores.

"That's disgusting, Bard." Mey groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Well, I didn't hear her complain any." Bard laughed as he puffed out his chest acting like the alpha male he thought he was. He saw Ciel sit down, "Hey, Ciel! Glad you could make it!" Grinning, Bard motioned for the waitress to come over. "I'll have another one, honey." The waitress shot the blonde a dirty look before moving her gaze over to Ciel.

"And what would like, sweetie?" The waitress cooed, obviously finding the young man cute. Ciel looked over at Bard's beer.

"I'll have an Amstel, please." Ciel smiled at her politely before looking at Mey and Finny, "You guys want another round?" The duo nodded eagerly and the waitress smiled and walked away from the table to get the drinks.

"So, Ciel," Finny started, "How was the first week? You liking it ok? The boss man being nice to you?" Finny reminded Ciel of a little kid on Christmas morning and everything he did or said was at 100% excitement level. The blonde's attitude always made Ciel smile a bit, even when he was having a bad day.

The waitress returned with the order as Ciel responded, "Um, yeah, I mean, I'm not dead so I guess it went ok." He took a sip of his beer. "Although, I'm not sure Mr. Michaelis is too happy about that outcome, if you know what I mean."

Bard let out a loud guffaw, "Oh man, you think Sebastian doesn't like you? The fact that he didn't fire the first day means that there must be something about you he likes." Ciel gave Bard a skeptical look as Mey and Finny nodded in agreement.

"Really? Are you serious?" Ciel questioned. "He acts like he wishes I would just disappear into the Atlantic. And that's on the rare occasion when he actually chooses to believe I exist at all." He chuckled at his statement as his coworkers laughed over the response.

"He's really not that bad, Ciel." Mey reached out, touching his arm, "He just has a lot on his shoulders. The entire success of this office is all on him. Not to mention our jobs here and if London is not happy with his performance they might replace him or worse, just close the NY office all together."

Ciel took another sip of his beer and nodded. "What's his problem anyways? I mean, is his wife a total bitch or something which is why he's such a miserable ass?"

Bard let out another long laugh. "Oh my God, you're hilarious!" He banged his fist against the table before calming down. "No, Sebastian is not married. The guy hasn't had a girlfriend in years from what I know."

Ciel's jaw dropped at the information.  _How could someone that looks like that be single?_  He thought, before shaking it from his mind, W _hat the fuck, Ciel? Why do care that he's single or why he is that way?_

Mey interrupted his thoughts. "Bard's right. Mr. Michaelis never brought a girlfriend to the office, but he never has a problem getting a date for events though." Then leaning her chin on her hand dreamily, a far off look in her eyes. "But he is really attractive and powerful and rich. You would think that someone would have locked him down by now."

"Oh man." Bard interjected, letting out a low whistle. "But You should see some of the girl's he keeps company with for events. Hot, hot, hot! I mean, Jesus Christ, they are stacked and with bodies that just won't quit. What I wouldn't give to get one night with one of those pieces of ass." Ciel, Mey and Finny made disgusted faces at Bard, trying not to notice how people were staring at the scene he made.

"You just keep charming them like that, Bard, and I'm sure the women folk will come a runnin'." Ciel smirked as the group laughed and continued their conversation about their past dating lives and the stories that came with them. He smiled to himself as a stray thought entered into his mind,  _I wonder what he's doing tonight anyways?_

* * *

Ciel moaned a bit as he felt a something warm press on his morning erection through his sweats. He instinctively bit down on his lower lip and began to rub against whatever was giving him friction at the moment. His breathing quickened as he felt himself getting harder and he let out another moan, this one loader than before.

"Oh yeah, baby. Give me that big cock." A voice breathed into the aroused male's ear. Ciel's eyes flew open to see the grinning face of his roommate only a few inches from his nose, straddling his hips as his clothed erection rubbed against Alois's inner thigh.

"Oh God! Get the fuck off!" Ciel screamed as he forcefully shoved his friend off his body and sent him crashing to the floor. The sounds of Alois's giggles filled the room as Ciel sat up to a now fully erect dick. Rolling his eyes  _Oh fuck! Now I'm all hard and shit._

"Well, you were on your way there." Alois teased as he picked himself up and sat at the edge of his roommate's bed. He eyed the tented sweats. "Wow, that's quite a boner you got there, Phantomhive. You should probably take care of it before you put someone's eye out." Alois ducked to avoid a flying pillow at his head. He danced off the bed and through the curtains into the living room.

Ciel sighed as he flopped back down on the mattress.  _Fucking Alois,_ he cursed,  _the only reason I'm hard is because I had no fucking idea it was him doing that. Inconsiderate asshole._ He rolled over to look at his clock, it was 10:13 am on a Saturday morning. He wasn't quite sure what time he came home last night, but that he obviously had been coherent enough to change out of his suit and into his sweats before going to sleep.

His dick now semi-erect, Ciel got out of bed and made his way into the living room where his roommate was eating cold pizza on the couch while flipping through the basic cable channels. He glared at Alois as the blonde looked up and grinned brightly like a 5 year old.

Flopping down next to him, "So, did you get any last night?" Ciel grabbed the remote and switched the channel to CNN. Alois pouted at him for making the blonde watch something as dull as the news.

"Nope." Alois shook his head. "Nobody wanted to take a bite at this luscious ass." Ciel rolled his eyes as Alois lifted his hips to grab a handful of his behind. "What did you do? I came home around 3 and you were all passed out and shit. Sleeping like a little lamb in your bed."

"I hung out with some people from work at a bar. It was fun." Ciel shrugged, his eyes following the news anchor on TV.

"Oh, really?" Alois stopped chewing for a moment and leaned closer. "So, did your asshole of a boss go to?" He blinked his bright blue eyes at his roomie, looking somewhat like a Disney character to Ciel.

"Of course not. He's too good for the likes of us." Ciel scoffed and then got up to grab the blackberry from his pants pocket. As he walked back he scanned through his emails.  _Oh good, nothing from the asshole._ He made his way back to the couch, still flipping through emails.

"Oooo, what's that?" Alois leaned closer to get a better look. "That from work?" Ciel nodded, but didn't look up. He was still going through various requests of him when he got into the office on Monday, all sent at 1 or 2 am in the morning. "So, your boss, he can get a hold of you at any time?" Alois raised an eyebrow which Ciel finally looked up to notice.

"Yes, he can, I guess." He sighed as he put the device down. "I'm his bitch apparently and this is my leash." Ciel slumped back and scowled at the idea of having to be someone's lap dog, especially that asshole's lap dog.

_I went to school, graduated at the top of my class and what do I get for it? I get to be a fucking errand boy for some stuck up prick. This sucks._ Ciel shot his eyes over to his roommate who was still giving him that wide eyed innocent gaze. "What? What is it Alois? Why are you looking at me like that?"

The blonde blinked a few times, "It's just, that in all the time we've been friends, I've never seen you so annoyed before." Alois scooted closer, his knees on the couch, and placed his head on Ciel's shoulder. "Your boss really gets under your skin, doesn't he?"

Ciel shook his head off, "Yeah, well, what am I supposed to do about? I need the job. So, I just have to grin and bear it, don't I? Kind of what I do with you." He teased, poking the blonde in the forehead, smiling. Alois sat back and giggled a bit. Just then the device beeped. Ciel looked down at the blinking red light and read the email that just came through.

'I need you in the office in 30 minutes. You will be there until 7 pm' Ciel read the email from his boss. Sighing he lifted himself off the couch and headed for the bathroom to shower. "I have to go into work."

Alois looked up confused, "What, now? On a Saturday morning? That bites."

From behind the shut door Ciel responded, "I know, but I'll see you around 7. We can go out then. You pick the place, ok?" He bent over the sink and glared at his reflection,  _You are a fucking doormat, Phantomhive, you have becoming a doormat._

As he stepped under the hot water, Ciel let evil thoughts about his boss run rampant in his mind as he listened to his roommate cheer at the prospect of going out in the evening.

* * *

_This sucks. It just sucks._ Ciel moaned inwardly as he flipped through Facebook on his work computer. He had been at the office since 11 am and now it was 6 pm and he had done absolutely nothing business related at all during that time.

The VP had come in around noon, dressed to the nines as usual and his assistant began to wonder if he owned anything other than expensive suits. Then, he had disappeared into his office and that was the last Ciel saw of him.  _Why the fuck am I even here today,_ rolling his eyes,  _he hasn't given me anything to do. I can only harvest my crops so many times on Farmville before I go completely insane._

At the last thought, Ciel plopped his forehead on his desk and groaned out of frustration. The sound of an incoming email caught the assistant's attention as he looked up to Outlook. 'Come in here.' it read from his boss.  _What now?_ Ciel thought as he stood and smoothed down his suit, walking into the office.

Ciel closed the door behind him quietly and stood before his boss who was feverishly making notes from some large document on his desk. A few minutes passed like this until the assistant cleared his throat, mostly out of annoyance. The VP lifted his head and putting down the pen, sat back, his ruby eyes locking onto Ciel's sapphire irises. Cocking his head to the side, some of the VP's jet black hair fell free from behind his ear, brushing on his broad shoulder. Ciel swallowed nervously,  _Why is he looking at me like I'm a kitten in a pet shop?_

"Sir?" Ciel began, "You wanted something?" The VP nodded slightly, and again, the air seemed thick with the same energy as before. The assistant felt like he almost choking on the feeling, although, to his surprise, it wasn't unpleasant.

"Do you own any other suits?" The VP asked quietly, his eyes never leaving his assistant's.

"Just the ones I have worn to the office, Sir." Ciel quietly replied, willing himself to look away, but being unable to. He was finding it a little more difficult to breathe and his heart was racing. _What the fuck is wrong with me? I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack._ He clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides, hoping the motion was going unnoticed.

"Hmm," his boss murmured. "That will not do." Leaning forward and opening a desk drawer, the VP reached in and pulled out plastic card. "Take my Amex and go to Bergdorf and Goodman's on 5th." Placing the silver credit card on the desk, he pushed it to the opposite edge furthest away from him and closest to his assistant. "Ask for Druitt and tell him that Sebastian Michaelis sent you to get three suits. I have an event I need you to accompany me to next Thursday and I can't have you dressed like that." Sitting back, the VP laced his long fingers together and watched, waiting for the young man to do something.

Ciel nodded, looking a bit confused. He took a step forward and picked up the Amex. "Ok. You want me to go with you to an event?" his brows furrowing slightly.

"It's more of a business dinner actually. I need you there to take care of some details while I'm dealing with the clients. Booking cars that sort of thing." The VP waved his hand carelessly in the air. "You do know how to act properly in public, don't you? I know it might be a stretch for you being from a small backwards town and all." The man's red eyes narrowed a bit and a slight smirked played on his lips at the challenging remark he had just made.

Ciel's temper flared, "Yes" he practically hissed. "I know how conduct myself in properly in a formal situtation." He grit his teeth as he glared back at his boss.  _I think the asshole is actually getting a kick out of insulting me._

His boss gave him a breathtaking smile, "Good. Then I expect you take care of your wardrobe and to be ready for Thursday night." He continued to gaze into his assistant's eyes as if looking for some sort of reaction. When none came, he sighed, "You can go home now. I'm finished with you for the day." The VP went back to taking notes as Ciel exited the office, almost slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"Woohoo! Shopping spree!" Alois squealed as he gripped the VP's silver Amex under the blue and violet lights of Barracuda. A techno Lady Gaga remix blared in the background as Ciel hunched over his beer, trying his best to not attract attention of other patrons. He really didn't feel like getting hit on tonight, he was just not in the mood to continually tell people he wasn't gay even though he was hanging out with his best friend in a gay bar. "So, like, you get to go all balls to the walls in Bergie-dorf with this baby? I wonder what the limit is on this sucker."

Ciel snatched the card back and placed it in his wallet. "No, I don't get to charge whatever I want. Just the suits that I need so that I can go play tagalong on Thursday to Mr. Fantastic." He grumbled into his beer as he was still annoyed be the entire encounter in his boss's office from before.

"It's kinda like you have a sugar daddy now." The blonde grinned as Ciel shook his head in disagreement. "I wish I could get a sugar daddy. Then I wouldn't have to work as a waiter in these stupid bars and concentrate on my acting full time." Ciel rolled his eyes at his friend. "So, we going tomorrow or what?"

"Sure." Ciel took a swig, "You should definitely come with. I could use the moral support." He raised his bottle to tap Alois's Citron and soda as they clinked in agreement.

* * *

The two friends made their way through the men's floor at Bergdorf and Goodman's on 5th Avenue the next day. Ciel's eyes glanced over the expensive looking suits, ties, shirts and accessories feeling a bit out of place amongst all the luxury whereas Alois just danced around the department like he was in 7th heaven.

"Michael, Ralph, and Hugo. All my favorite men are here." The blonde sang as he ran his fingers along a sharply dressed mannequin. "Hey there, honey." He cooed to the doll. "Come here often?" Ciel rolled his eyes and yanked his friend off the dummy and pulled him along to the back of the store.

"We're not here to play, Alois." His friend pouted at Cie., "We need to find some guy named Druitt. He's supposed to help us and the sooner we find him the sooner we can get out of here." Ciel strode purposely up to a counter with men's accessories, the blonde in tow. He looked at the sales clerk, a petite blonde woman with her hair up in a bun and make up expertly applied. She wore a simple black dress from Calvin Klein and a pair of Gucci pumps. Not waiting for her to ask, Ciel looked her straight in the eyes, "We're looking for someone name Druitt."

She gave the young man a skeptical look, "You?" The sales clerk eyed his jeans and dark blue hoodie, not believing his request. Ciel nodded as Alois stood back rubbing the wrist he had been dragged across the store with.

"Yes, me. I was sent here to ask for some guy named Druitt by my boss, Sebastian Michaelis." Ciel gave her an annoyed look that changed into a smirk when she heard the VP's name. Her brown eyes grew wide at the new information.

"Oh! Why didn't you say so?" She nervously fumbled with the phone next to the register. Speaking into the receiver she relayed the information to the person on the other end. Hanging up, "If you will just wait a moment, Druitt will be right out." She smiled warmly, a huge change from her earlier mannerism.

Ciel stepped away with his friend. "Wow" Alois exclaimed, "Did you see how her tune changed when she heard your boss's name? Geez." Ciel rolled his eyes, he hated the influence his boss had over people, even when he wasn't around.

"Awwww, you must be Michaelis' new assistant." A feminine voice floated through the air as Ciel and Alois turned to see who was addressing them. Sashaying their way a slender man in a white suit and vest with a violet bow tie. His hair was shoulder length, bone straight and blindingly white. He walked up to Ciel and placed a kiss on either cheek before the young man could react.

"Um, yes, I'm Mr. Michaelis' assistant. Ciel, nice to meet you and you must be Druitt." He reached to grab the man's hand to shake it, but instead only got his fingers as the man limply bent his wrist.

"Yes, yes! And who is this? Your boyfriend?" Druitt motioned to Alois who was trying his best not to laugh at the flamboyant man. Alois was gay and had no problem telling people that, but this guy made him look like he was still in the closet.

"No, no!" Ciel squeaked. "He's just my roommate." Alois shot him a dirty look as he shrugged his shoulders and mouthed 'sorry'.

Druitt laughed, "Alright then. Follow me boys and I will get you what you need." The man motioned with his finger for them to follow and he took them to a private fitting room. It was large with three full length mirrors on the walls and a raised platform in the middle. A rack of expensive suits was there already there with a number of matching accessories. Ciel and Alois exchanged a few looks as their eyes looked around trying to take it all in.

"Please make yourself comfortable." Druitt motioned for Alois to sit in one of the chairs. "And you," pointing at Ciel, "up here and remove all your clothing except your undergarments." Walking away, "But if you're not wearing any, then, well, this will be more interesting, won't it?" The man giggled as he started combing through the clothing rack.

Ciel's eyes widened as he looked over to his friend. The blonde just shrugged and smirked at how uncomfortable his "just roommate" looked at the moment. He slid down in the chair and decided to watch the show.

"Um, do I really have to strip that much?" Ciel questioned as he removed his hoodie and then started on his sneakers. He was not comfortable getting undressed in front of anyone, even Elizabeth. The first time they had sex he made sure the lights were out so he wouldn't chicken out. He kicked off both shoes and pulled off his socks. Finally, standing awkwardly in the center of the room in just his white undershirt and jeans, clutching one arm and blushing.

Druitt pranced back over, a frown of disapproval on his face. "To get an accurate fit you have to be wearing as little clothing as possible. Otherwise the finished suit will not look right and I can't send Michaelis a defective product, now can I?" The man stopped right in front of Ciel, his hand outstretched waiting for the young man's last piece of clothing.

_Yeah, we wouldn't want to do anything to upset Mr. Bigshot, now would we?_ Sighing, Ciel unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them off, handing them to the man. The young man now stood in just his undershirt and a pair of tight black boxer briefs which left little to the imagination of what was underneath.

Druitt took the jeans and glanced down at Ciel's package smirking in approval before turning around again to the clothing rack. Ciel stood there, furiously blushing and trying to find a way to not awkwardly cover himself up. He looked over to his friend who was wiggling his eyebrows at him before pretending jack off in the chair. Ciel vehemently hissed at the blonde, who just laughed.

Druitt returned with a suit, "Here, let me help you with this one." Ciel swallowed his pride as he let the man dress him. He stepped into a dark navy wool blend solid two piece suit, with a midnight blue tie and ivory French cuff shirt. The outfit was topped off with solid silver cufflinks and shiny leather black dress shoes. As the man patted him down and made some adjustments, Ciel just scowled at his roommate who was no longer trying to make him laugh, but instead sat the quietly, watching the process unfold itself.

"There!" Druitt announced, stepping back to admire his work. "That suit is beautiful on you!" The man clasped his hands together gleefully, "Well, don't you want to see what you look like?" he giggled as Ciel turned around to have a look in the trio mirrors.

As his eyes landed on the person staring back at him, Ciel's jaw dropped. He didn't recognize his reflection. Sure, his face was still the same, but the azure colored suit made his eyes look even darker and bluer. The suit gave him a stronger silhouette, broader looking shoulders and the European cut flatter his slim waist giving his legs a longer leaner look in the pants. He looked like a high powered executive on Wall Street and not someone's assistant. He closed his mouth and ran his hand over the smooth soft fabric.

"Well, what do you think?" Druitt pressed for a response. Ciel looked down at him and nodded, still too stunned to speak. "Fantastic! Now that I have all your measurements I can get together the two other outfits you require, although I think you should wear this one for this week's upcoming week." He nodded again and looked to Alois for a response. The blonde just sat there with his wide blue eyes gaping at his friend's appearance. "You can get changed now, dear. I will be back in a moment to finalize everything." The man walked out of the fitting room, shutting the door behind him.

In the silence, Ciel look desperately at his friend. "Say something." He pleaded. "Please, Alois?" The blonde stood up and walked over, never breaking eye contact. Once in front of Ciel, he gingerly reached out and touched the silky fabric of the tie.

"I'd fuck you." Alois glanced up and started to giggle. "You look fucking amazing, Ciel. I mean, I never knew you could look so damn sexy." Ciel rolled his eyes as he took the jacket off, handing it to his friend. He removed all the other articles and put his normal clothing back on. While tying his sneakers, he heard Alois gasp, "Oh my fucking God!" the blonde breathed.

Ciel looked up, "What is it?" He walked toward his roommate who was clutching the suit with a shocked look on his face.

"This suit alone is over $2,000, Ciel." The blonde shoved the price tag at Ciel's face as the realization of how expensive this outfit was set in.

"No! Fuck! No way!" Ciel stepped back as if the fabric burned him. "There is no way I can let my boss buy me a $2,000 suit, let alone three of them." He shook his head and walked away. _I feel like such a charity case,_ the thought made his jerk his head up as remembered the conversation from his first day at work and how his boss had actually referred to him as a charity case.

Ciel clenched his fists together as he fumed over the idea that he was being treated like a pathetic little kid that needed some big daddy to take him clothing shopping. His face burned bright red from anger and he closed his eyes trying to calm himself before he lost all control and started tearing apart everything in sight.

"Dude? You ok?" Alois carefully walked up behind him, placing a light hand on his shoulder. "It's just clothing. If the asshole wants to spend his own money to make you look like the rock start that you are then that's his prerogative." The blonde peered his head around to catch a glimpse of Ciel attempting to calm down. "Just take the stuff and go do your thing. You've got to look the part to play the game."

Ciel let out a long breath and stood straight. Swallowing he turned around and looked at this worried friend, "You're right. I need to look the part if I'm ever going to get anywhere in this industry." He tried to crack a small smile for his friend. The action was returned.

At that moment, Druitt waltzed back into the room. He came over and collected the suit from Alois's arms. "So, all three suits, shoes, ties, and other accessories will be altered and delivered to your office this Wednesday, it's all set. Now I just need your form of payment."

Ciel reached into his wallet and handed the man the Amex. Druitt took it and gave a quizzical look to the young man, "Michaelis gave you his Amex to use?"

"Yes." Ciel said slowly, narrowing his eyes. "Isn't that how normally he does this thing?"

Druitt laughed out loud, "Oh no! In all the years I've known Michaelis he has never given out his card to anybody. For that matter, I was surprised when he called last night telling me about this little adventure he sent you on. Usually he just sends his assistant to just pick up his suits, let alone buy them for anybody."

Ciel shot a confused expression at his friend and then the man, "He called you last night about all of this?"

"Oh yes!" Druitt nodded actively. "He wanted to make sure you were very well taken care of today and that everything went smoothly for you here. He expressly stated that you were to be treated as VIP clientele. " He lifted the card and swiped it on an electronic device he was carrying. "There. All done." He handed the Amex back who Ciel quickly placed back into his wallet.

Ciel and Alois then followed the man out of the dressing room and back into the main men's department area. Turning around, Druitt extended his hand to shake Alois's and Ciel's. "It was so nice meeting you both. Please, give Michaelis my warmest regards." He stated.

"Wait!" Ciel suddenly commanded as Druitt turned to leave, "How do you know him? My boss, I mean."

Druitt placed a finger on his chin and smiled mischievously, "Oh, Michaelis and I go way back. Years in fact, before he was the big, bad VP he is today." He chuckled at some thought he didn't share, "But I really must be going. Thank you so much and I hope to see you again soon."

The two friends watched as the man walked away before turning to leave the store. If Ciel never stepped into another men's department store again it would be too soon.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Ciel went to work a little earlier than usual. He really wanted to give his boss back his Amex, since it felt like a lead weight in his wallet and he just wanted it out of his possession. Before even logging into his computer, the young man cautiously opened the VP's office door and snuck in. He quickly placed the shiny plastic card right in front of his boss's computer screen, before quickly turning on his heel to leave and then stopping dead in his tracks.

"Did everything work out properly?" The VP asked, standing in the open door, tucking his blackberry into his suit's breast pocket. His silhouette leaning a shoulder against the door frame, head cocked slightly to the side, garnet eyes serious. Ciel felt and looked like a deer caught in headlights, his breathing stuttered a bit and his heart beat rapidly, even though he hadn't been caught doing anything. His blue eyes wide as he took in the powerful sight that was his superior watching him. After a moment, the VP walked past his assistant and rounded his desk to pick up the Amex.

Ciel turned to face his boss, "Y-yes, it did." He fumbled his fingers on the handle of his briefcase. The VP shrugged off his coat and went over to a side closet to hang it up. Ciel's gaze followed him, "Thank you. That was very generous of you." He knew he was blushing now and the young man cursed himself for sounding so weak.

The VP stopped for a moment and gave his assistant a quizzical look, "Generous?" The man walked back to his desk, but instead of sitting down, he walked in front of it and leaned back, allowing his rear to lean against the edge, crossing his arms over his chest. Ciel suddenly realized that his boss was a mere two feet away from him with nothing between them. Smirking, "I guess you could call it that," the VP rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "But it's really more a business strategy than anything, but you can think of it as generosity if you like. If it makes me appear more human to you." The VP grinned and stood straight again to take his proper place behind the desk.

_Son of a bitch!_ Ciel thought, still staring at his boss.  _He can't even give a 'You're Welcome' without making sound like some sort of insult._ The assistant nodded and turned to leave, obviously the conversation and reached its conclusion. When he was almost out of the office, he heard the VP speak again.

"For Thursday, reserve a car to pick me up at 6:30 sharp. We will be having dinner at Le Cirque at 7:30, so meet me there and don't be late." His boss commanded and his assistant nodded again before exiting and shutting the door behind him.

* * *

The rest of the week flew by as Ciel was busying preparing for the upcoming business dinner. Collecting the RSVPs and making a list to keep track of who would be coming. On Wednesday, the young man's suits arrived and he had to drag the rather heavy clothing and accessories home at the end of the day.

On Thursday, Ciel left work at 5pm and rushed home to get changed. As he entered the small apartment, he realized that Alois had already left for work. The blonde had gotten another job as a waiter at some gay bar in the Village and he chuckled to think about how long this term of employment would last.

Knowing he was under the clock, Ciel quickly stripped and jumped under the shower, making sure to wash his hair thoroughly and using extra Axe body wash. Stepping out in white fluffy towel around his waist, the he entered his bedroom and unzipped the garment bags. As he pulled out the dark navy suit he took a minute to breathe in the smell of the fabric, it was so clean and fresh. Sighing, he whipped off the towel, pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs and proceeded to dress himself so he would look exactly the same way as he did in the private dressing room at Bergdorf's.

When everything was in place; polished shoes on, tie in a perfect Windsor knot, cufflinks tightened, Ciel decided he should probably comb his hair. Walking back into the bathroom he smoothed down a few stray hairs and parted the slate tresses on one side. Looking at his reflection,  _I totally look the part,_  he smiled smugly.

Glancing at his watch, "Fuck!" he yelped, it was 6 pm already and he had to get across town. In a split second decision, Ciel grabbed a bottle of cologne off the bathroom shelf and spritzed it on. It was Alois's, something called Fierce by Abercrombie and something, he really didn't know.  _Fuck! If I'm late, I will be so screwed!_ Ciel berated himself as he hauled ass out of his apartment.

* * *

Standing outside Le Cirque, Ciel rubbed his arms furiously to keep warm. He silently cursed himself for not grabbing his pea coat earlier, but he was in rush and had no idea it was going to get so cold tonight. He watched as a black town car pulled up to the front of the restaurant and his boss stepped out. The VP stood up, his black wool coat covering up his tall frame as he began to take it off to hand to his assistant.

"No coat?" The VP eyed the young man, lifting an eyebrow while handing him the expensive outerwear.

"N-no, Sir." Ciel's teeth chattered a bit, as he grabbed the coat, holding it close to his frigid frame. It was soft and still so warm from having been on the VP's body only moments ago. His boss nodded and walked ahead to enter the building. His assistant brought the garment over to the coat check and grabbed the ticket from the attendant before finding his boss again.

Ciel walked through the restaurant, taking in the beauty and elegance of the place. Le Cirque was world famous, known for its French cuisine and the ambiance did not disappoint either, large chandeliers and gold detail swept over the walls creating a sophisticated if not almost romantic atmosphere. Still following the VP, Ciel entered into a private dining room with a long oval table set for 10 people, draped with white tablecloths and set with numerous pieces of silverware and wine glasses.

Looking around, the assistant saw his boss having a conversation with another dark-haired gentleman. The VP's face looked stern as he listened intently to what the man with glasses had to say and he shook his head as if disagreeing. Ciel walked over to the pair, ready to stand by his boss and be there at his beck and call if needed. The movement caught the VP's attention and he interrupted his current conversation to look at Ciel.

"Faustus," The VP interjected, "Faustus, this is my new assistant, Ciel Phantomhive." The other man stopped talking for a moment, appearing shocked that he was interrupted by something as irrelevant as being introduced to someone's assistant. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his golden eyes narrowing slightly at the young man who smiled politely. "Ciel, this is Claude Faustus, Vice President of the London office."

Ciel reached his hand out and shook the other VP's hand, "It's wonderful to meet you." The hand shake was firm and Claude held onto Ciel's fingers a little longer than he would have liked, but it was over soon enough.

"Pleasure, I'm sure." Claude replied in a bored British accent. His golden orbs scanned over the assistant's body as if taking in the sight to save for a later memory. Turning his attention back to the other VP, "Shall we sit, Sebastian? We have quite a bit to discuss this evening." Claude motioned to the table and walked over to take a seat near one of the narrower edges. Sebastian took the seat next to him and gave Ciel a look to sit down next to him and across from Claude. The action surprised Ciel a bit, since he knew he was going to be at the dinner, but had not anticipated sitting next to his boss. Not wanting to argue, he smiled and sat down.

The evening progressed with being introduced to more people, some that worked for the firm and some that were clients. Ciel had trouble keeping all the names straight off the top of his head, but made sure to check them off on his attending list so he would know who to send out the customary thank you cards later.

The young man tried dishes like fois gras and caviar and duck confit and thought that he had never tried anything so delicious in his life. Bottles of wine were continually opened and the conversation continued to build as Ciel listened to how the executives would wheel and deal back and forth over matters that would ultimately decide the fate of their companies. The young man had never been so thrilled to be anywhere in his life and his blue eyes lit up as he tried to absorb every bit of knowledge that came out of the higher ups lips. He was so engrossed in the conversation that he failed to notice how his boss smirked at the sight of his assistant's eagerness or the fact that Claude noticed Sebastian's reaction as well and narrowed his eyes at the response.

At around 11pm the dinner started to come to a close. People finished up their coffees and had started to depart. When it was only Ciel, his boss and Claude left, the assistant got up from the table to order two town cars to take the VPs to their homes. With Ciel gone, Claude leaned over to whisper in Sebastian's ear.

"Why did you really hire him, Michaelis?" the question slid off the London VP's lips viciously, "You know this sort of thing does not go over well in our field." Sebastian shot the man an annoyed look.

"And what exactly are you getting at, Faustus?" Sebastian narrowed his crimson eyes and glared, his long fingers tracing the rim of an empty brandy glass. "Jealous? Are you?"

Claude sat back and laughed, "Of you? Oh no, not ever." Standing up and then leaning down to whisper again in the other male's ear, "I would never be so dense as to put something that tempting in front of me. Remember who you are, Michaelis." He gave Sebastian a bright smile before leaving the room.

* * *

Ciel stood outside by the valet, cupping his hands together and blowing on them to keep warm.  _My God! Fuck! It's cold._ He griped as he froze waiting for his boss to get in the town car that had arrived. Looking over his shoulder he saw the VP finally appear, pulling his long coat over his shoulders. Walking outside he turned to face his assistant.

"Well, Sir" Ciel began, "I have the list, so tomorrow we can send out the thank you cards. Here's your car." The assistant opened the door to the black town car waiting for his boss to get in so he could go home too and warm up a bit.

The VP stopped, his hand on the door, "Actually, I have the cards in my condo." He eyed his freezing assistant, "Come with me. It will save me from having to bring them in morning." Ciel gave him a confused look and the VP sighed, closing his eyes, "Besides, you're freezing and I can't let you go home in the cold. The driver can take you afterwards." Ciel opened his mouth to protest, but closed it when he saw the resolute look on his boss's face.

The assistant slid into the dark leather interior after his boss, shutting the door behind them. Ciel sat next to his boss, still rubbing his arms as he took in the experience of being driven through Manhattan in a luxury vehicle. If he hadn't been so cold he might have enjoyed it more though. The VP gave Ciel a curious look before reaching forward to turn the heat up in the sedan, the young man smiled at his boss as if to say thank you and sighed a bit, relaxing.

"How do you think it went tonight?" The VP asked all of a sudden, his crimson gaze turning to his assistant. He watched as the young man collected his thoughts before answering.

"Well, from what I gathered from the conversation, the clients seemed very interested in getting their capital from FPE." Ciel stated slowly, wanting to choose his words carefully, "But I'm not sure how Mr. Faustus fit into the picture. The clients are not an overseas company." He slid his gaze over to meet his boss's eyes, hoping he hadn't said anything wrong.

"Nobody ever knows why Faustus shows up," the VP snorted, obviously annoyed, "Probably over here spying on the NY office. Wanting to see what's going on and what we're doing wrong." Shaking his head, the VP looked out the window.

The car began to slow and then finally stopped in front of CitySpire Condos in midtown. The driver got out and opened the door as the VP stepped out, still miffed about his earlier thoughts. Ciel followed the man into the building as the doorman greeted them.

"Good evening, Mr. Michaelis." The uniformed man announced cheerfully.

"Evening, Raoul." The VP mumbled as he strode through the lobby to the elevators. Ciel did his best to keep up and not fall behind gawking at the opulence of the building's interior. The VP mashed the button and the doors opened. Once inside, he pushed the 56th floor and the elevator vaulted skyward. Stopping, the two stepped out and Ciel followed his boss down to the end of a long hallway and at the last door, the VP placed a key in the lock, opening it and walking through.

To say that the VP's condo was beautiful was an understatement. Ciel just gazed all around him at the modern setup and spectacular views of the city, even at night. There was a walk-in kitchen that led to an open dining area and large living area. Two white leather couches sat across from each other and modern art and sculptures were tastefully spread out on the walls or on display tables.  _So this is what it's like to live when you make more money than you know what to do with,_ the young man mused, walking around the living room.

The VP shrugged of his coat and hung it over a dining chair, not seeming to care what he did with it. Walking into a dark room to the left he called back, "Make yourself comfortable," as he disappeared from sight. Ciel continued to walk around and stare at everything around, but a small table near a large expanse of windows caught his eye. Moving closer, he affirmed his suspicions when he saw it was a beautiful marble chess set. The pieces were carved out of black and white marble, while the board itself was bordered by green marble. Ciel tentatively reached out to stroke the cool, smooth surface; he loved chess. He played quite a bit in college and had always considered it a refined game.

"Do you know how to play?" a deep voice caused Ciel to jump and swivel around. His boss was walking towards him, suit jacket off and tie gone, top few buttons open on his shirt revealing a smooth collarbone and some sparse dark chest hair. The assistant had never seen him so dressed down, but he had to admit that his boss looked sexy.  _Sexy? Sexy! What the fuck are you thinking? You like girls, remember?_ his brain screamed at him, but the young man just gulped and tried to calm his erratic breathing.

"Yes, Sir. I used to play in college." Ciel managed to spit out without stuttering. The VP laughed at him. The sound was melodious and smooth like satin in the air. The young man tried to control his breathing yet again.

"Please, when we are not at the office or some other official function, call me Sebastian." Striding across the room, Sebastian stopped in front of the liquor cabinet and took out two glasses. "Would you like to play?" He glanced back and smirked as he poured bourbon in and then added ice. Turning around he brought the glasses and the bottle over to Ciel and handed him a highball.

Taking it cautiously, "You know I'm under age, right?" Ciel looked up into those red eyes, just wanting to stare at them for a while.

Lifting the glass to his lips, "I bet that's what you say every time someone hands you a drink, don't you?" Sebastian teased as he swallowed. The motion caused Ciel to swallow instinctively as well and he shook his head, taking a slow sip of the strong liquid. A burning feeling that spread down his throat as he drank the strong liquid, producing a series of hacking coughs. Sebastian chuckled and patted his assistant on the back as he walked past. The action made Ciel still all of sudden, the feeling of the large warm hand on his shoulders made him shiver slightly.  _What the hell is wrong with me?_ He thought as he stared at the floor, the coughing starting to subside.

Walking around the chess board, Sebastian took a seat behind the black pieces, "Really, how about it? We can make it even more interesting if you like." Sebastian smirked as he watched his assistant sit down opposite him just over the rim of his glass.

Ciel removed his jacket as well as his tie and flung them over the back of the chair; he was starting to feel warm and didn't know if it was from the booze or something else. "More interesting? How?" he asked, looking confused.

Sebastian cocked his head, brushing his black hair behind an ear, "Well, how about for every piece I capture, I get to ask you one question and every piece you capture, you get to ask me a question?"

Ciel thought for a moment, "Ok, but what do I get when I win?" The young man gave a broad smile and Sebastian found his overconfidence cute.

"Let's just leave the rules as they are now with the questions, shall we?" Sebastian leaned forward and whispered, "I will warn you though, Ciel. I am ruthless in all things. I won't go easy on you." His grin grew wider and he reminded Ciel of a hungry wild animal that was closing in on its prey. Ciel nodded in agreement and Sebastian leaned back, a satisfied look on his face, "Alright then, it's your move."

Looking down at the two rows of white marble pieces, Ciel took another large swig of his drink before moving the first piece; a pawn forward 2 spaces right in front of his king. Sebastian smiled slightly at the bold opening move, expecting nothing less from his opponent. He leaned forward and let his long fingers graze over a side pawn before deciding against it and instead moving his right knight in front the queen's bishop. Sitting back, he steepled his fingers just under his upper lip and crimson eyes looked over at the young man across from him.

Ciel took another sip and then mirrored the move on his side of the board. He risked a quick look at Sebastian and stopped when he got caught in the deep gaze the other man rested upon him. The look was held between the two men for what seemed like an eternity for the younger. Glancing down for only a moment, Sebastian moved another piece into and then took another long sip of his drink before picking up the bottle to refill both their glasses. Ciel watched as the strong hand tipped the neck of the crystal bottle to gently pour its contents into his glass.  _Did I already drink the entire thing?_ Ciel questioned, but quickly turned his attention back to the board as it was his turn and he wasn't going to let this opportunity to find out a few things about his boss pass him by.

The game continued at the same pace for a while, neither one ever seeming to get a hold of the other's piece until finally Ciel took one of Sebastian's pawns. "Aha!" he proclaimed as he victoriously gripped the piece and placed it next to his side of the board. With a satisfied grin, he looked into his superior's eyes, who was still wearing the same amused expression as before. "I have one of your pieces," he announced.

"That would appear so," Sebastian confirmed, his eyes dancing in anticipation.

"So, I get to ask you anything I want?" Ciel took another sip. At this point he had unbuttoned the first few buttons as he felt warm from the liquor in his system, not to mention bolder than usual.

"Within in reason," Sebastian shrugged, sounding nonchalant. "Now, what could you possibly want to know about me?"

Thinking for a moment, Ciel decided to start with the most obvious, "Why do you treat me like I'm sort of hobo you found on the street that saved my life and now I should be grateful for every kind word or look you give me?" The words flew out of his mouth and sounded ruder than he had intended them too.

Sebastian cocked his head to side, "Is that how you think I see you?" Ciel refused to look away even though Sebastian's crimson eyes bore into his blue ones and nodded, "I treat you the way I do because in this line of business you have to be tough and have a thick skin." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "If you can't deal with not being everyone's best friend then you shouldn't be doing this for a living." The man gave his assistant a serious look, "I'm prepping you for what's to come in your future should you decided to stay in the financial world."

Ciel sat back, taking in what was just told to him. He honestly had not thought about it like that and the statement put things into a new perspective. He didn't respond, but instead motioned for his boss to move. Sebastian grabbed ahold of a bishop and slid the piece across the board to take out one of Ciel's rooks. Not making eye contact, he placed the piece next to his side of the board.

"Now, my turn," Sebastian grinned and Ciel swallowed hard at the look in his eyes, "What in the world are you wearing?" The assistant gave him a befuddled look and the older man continued, "Your cologne. You smell like a college girl's wet dream."

"Oh! That!" Ciel laughed nervously, "That's Alois'. He has odd choices in fragrances." Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the answer and motioned for him continue.

"Alois is my roommate." Ciel answered quickly, "Best friend, actually. We've been rooming together since our senior year at Seton Hill. He's a little flamboyant, as you can tell from the choice of fragrance. " He chuckled a little under Sebastian's curious glare, taking another sip.

"So, he's just your roommate?" His boss asked in a serious tone, his crimson eyes searching for something, but Ciel couldn't tell exactly what.

"Yep," the assistant continued without prompting, "We met in college and, well, see, Alois was going to SH because his stepfather worked for the school as a landscaper so he got to go for free. He was ostracized a bit for being one of the only gay students at a religious university and me being a 'charity case'", he made air quotes at the last words and rolled his eyes, "we sort of hit it off being the odd men out."

Sebastian nodded thoughtfully as Ciel kept going, the liquor making his tongue looser, "People always wondered if we were together, but, no, I have a girlfriend, but the assumptions never bothered me." Ciel sloppily placed his glass down on the table and rolled his gaze up to meet his boss's. Sebastian just sat across from him with the same serious expression on his lovely face. He watched as the young man spilled forth information about himself and his life. "I mean, just cuz he's gay doesn't mean he's not a good friend, he's the best person I know, right?"

"So, you have a girlfriend?" Sebastian's arched a questioning eyebrow, skipping over the last question.

Ciel furrowed his brow a bit, "Hey! You asked more than one question for a piece. I get a penalty question!" He grinned at his logic.

Sighing, "I guess you do." Sebastian conceded and waited for the oncoming inquiry.

"Do you have any vices?" Ciel leaned forward over the board, narrowing his eyes as he tried to be intimidating, but failing miserably.

Sebastian chuckled and took another long sip, "Vices? Well, I guess so." He tilted his head as he pondered, "I work out a lot. It helps to deal with the stress of the job and other frustrations," stopping for a moment, "I used to smoke, but I quit that after my physician told me I would never make past forty otherwise."

"How old are you?" Ciel blurted out, eyes wide, causing Sebastian to smile.

"Thirty-two, this past year." His boss affirmed.

"But you look so young," the assistant murmured out loud, "And you're in such good shape." The thought popped out and he instantly covered his mouth in embarrassment of the statement. "Well, thank you." Sebastian laughed at the honest observation, settling a little further back into his seat. He ran his long fingers around the edge of the glass as Ciel watched, mesmerized.

Blue eyes watched as slender fingers slipped into the glass across from him, carefully wiping up a few drops of the leftover liquid then bring them to the owner's lips. Ciel's breath quickened as he watched the man lift his hand up to his lips and licked the fingertips clean, a pink tongue darted out to lap out the moistened mouth.  _Oh God,_ Ciel groaned inwardly,  _I wonder what his lips taste like,_ his mind too foggy to even comprehend what he had just thought. Sebastian smirked as he watched the gaze follow his every move, entertained by how enthralled the assistant seemed by his boss's actions.

"So, why aren't you married?" Ciel blurted out again, except this time he didn't feel embarrassed by the question, the alcohol making him unaware of how rude he sounded.

Sebastian shot him a sharp glare, "Why haven't you mentioned your girlfriend until now?" Ciel sat back, shocked at the directness of the inquiry. "That's usually one of the first thing people bring up in polite conversation. That they are seeing someone." His crimson eyes were dark and took on a dangerous appearance.

"I-I," Ciel stuttered a bit. He didn't know why he had not mentioned Elizabeth before now and part of him wondered if he would have brought their relationship up at all if he had not been in the situation he was now. "I think I should go home." He whispered as he attempted to stand, confused by all the conflicting thoughts in his head, but getting up proved more difficult than he anticipated and he faltered, his equilibrium seemed off.

Before he could slump back into the chair, his boss was at his side, softly grabbing a bicep to help the young man stand upright. Ciel gazed up, losing his balance fell forward, his head colliding with his boss's chest. He placed both palms onto the hard chest and spread his fingers out over the shirt feeling the immense heat seep through. The young man rubbed his nose against the man's collarbone, inhaling the scent of masculinity and some sort of French cologne; he shivered at how the smell made his head swim. Ciel tipped his head back, letting it loll back, exposing his pale neck and his slate hair falling off his forehead. Sebastian stiffened slightly as he grabbed his assistant's wrists with both hands and pushed him off his body allowing more space between them.

In a stern, but soft tone, "I think you going home is a good idea." Sebastian said as he led his assistant to the front door. "You're drunk and nothing good can come of you staying the night here tonight." Sebastian leaned Ciel's back against the front door as he reached for his blackberry and made a call. After conversing for a few minutes, his boss walked back and leaned forward, placing a hand on each side of Ciel's head of the door. Peering into his assistant's eyes, "Raoul will be up in a few minutes to take you down and put you in a cab. Take it home and get some sleep, do you understand?" The young man stared into those deep pools of red trying to decipher the emotion behind them. It looked like concern, but with a hint of amusement, the combination annoyed the young male that his boss was finding the scenario funny. He nodded, mimicking the gesture his superior was doing.

There was a sharp knock at the door and it startled Ciel, causing him to jump forward and into his boss's arms again. The young man pulled back, realizing that his arms where wrapped around the toned waist and Sebastian's arms were holding onto his back, warm large hands pressed against his shoulder blades. Ciel looked up into the garnet orbs as Sebastian gently brushed the back of his fingers ever so lightly down the side of Ciel's cheek, relishing the soft supple feel of the assistant's face. Ciel closed his eyes for a moment and leaned into the touch, moaning softly. The sound caused Sebastian to push away again and walk back to the dining room, returning with his dark wool coat.

"Here, wear this" Sebastian stated, placing the warm clothing over his assistant's shoulders, "It's freezing out. Bring it with you tomorrow to the office." Ciel just stared wide eyed as Sebastian reached past him to turn the knob and open the front door to reveal Raoul waiting patiently outside. "I won't be in most of the day, so just leave it in my office. You can deal with the thank you cards on Monday." His assistant nodded, wanting to sleep all of a sudden very badly. Sebastian gently pushed Ciel towards the doorman before taking one last look at his bewildered assistant and then closed the door goodnight.

* * *

Ciel groaned as he rolled over in his bed, kicking the sheets away that his legs had gotten tangled in from a restless night of sleep. He opened his eyes to see the digital clock by his bed reading that it was 7 am, which meant he would have to get up shortly to go work.  _Oh fuck! Work._ Slapping a palm against his forehead as he remembered last night,  _My boss, fuck! I got drunk in front of my boss._ Moaning out loud to himself, Ciel rolled onto his back as pieces of the previous evening trickled back into his foggy mind. The memories made his groan out of frustration even louder than before and he rolled onto his side, pulling his blanket over his head. It was soft and so warm and smelled like expensive French cologne.

_Wait!_ His eyes flying wide at the thought,  _Why does my_   _blanket smell like Sebastian?_ Looking down, Ciel realized that he wasn't covered in his duvet, but Sebastian's long wool coat instead. Horrified, he lifted the coat slightly to see that he at least had enough sense last night to strip off his suit so that he slept in only an undershirt and boxers. He should have been relieved, but instead his attention was drawn to the tent he was sporting in his underpants.  _What the fuck? Not again._ Ciel stared at his obvious erection and sighed, pulling the coat over his head as he flopped back down onto his pillow. Breathing deeply, he inhaled the fragrance of the cologne and something else, a distinct scent that could only be described as masculine. He took another large breath, slower this time, as he let the smell of Sebastian permeate his senses, closing his eyes to shut out any other thoughts.

Not thinking, Ciel reached his hand down to cup this clothed erection, the feeling making him gasp. Taking deeper breaths, he realized that laying under the coat and smelling his boss was actually making him even harder.  _Fuck, what is wrong with me?_ He thought weakly as he moved his other hand under his cotton shirt to rub his chest, fingers lightly grazing over his nipples. The sensation made him whimper softly as he gripped his manhood tighter and started rubbing it slowly and firmly. It wasn't long before Ciel was a panting mess, his mind trying to make sense of what he was doing while a stronger more feral part kept edging his body on, his hands seeming to have taken on a mind of their own.

As one hand rubbed a nipple between sly fingers, the other found its way under his waistband, effectively pushing the annoying boxers out of the way and wrapping firmly around his arousal. Ciel moaned loudly as he felt his hot palm touch his aching member, his mind swimming with thoughts of his superior. He moved it up the shaft to the head, rubbing his thumb around the tip, smearing pre-cum over his fingers before returning to stroking, using the pre-cum as lubricant. He panted and moaned as he stoked harder and faster, hips bucking into his hand as he imagined it to be Sebastian's hand wrapped around him. He was surrounded in his boss, being smothered by the coat, all the young man could do is smell Sebastian and the scent pushed his arousal even further.

Feeling his release approaching, Ciel bucked his slender hips erratically into his hand. He could feel it now, so close to the edge. He was quickly climbing the mountain to bliss as he stroked faster and twisted his abused nipple. Thinking about his boss pleasuring him, Ciel thought about how Sebastian would smirk at him for the sounds he was making; strands of jet black hair sweeping in front of crimson eyes watching as his assistant became an incoherent mess at his touch. These thoughts pushed Ciel over the edge and he came hard in his palm screaming Sebastian's name as he continued to buck his hips, riding out waves of pleasure.

As his breathing started to return to normal, Ciel tucked himself back into his boxers and rolled over onto his side. He still clutched the coat in the hand that had been on his chest, doing his best to not let it near his cum. As he lay there staring at his clock, still panting slightly, thinking, _What the FUCK was that?_


	4. Chapter 4

Ciel spent the rest of the day at work, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. After stealthily returning his boss's coat to his office, the young man did his best to avoid interaction with any of his fellow coworkers. He just couldn't shake the feeling that anyone looking at him would know without a doubt what fantasy had transpired that morning in the privacy of his bedroom. Every time he tried to analyze the situation in his mind, Ciel felt himself start to blush, but worse than that was the perpetual boner that those thoughts seemed to bring on. So, instead, Ciel just decided to keep his head hidden behind his computer all day and wait for 5:30 to roll around so he could escape.

Sebastian didn't show up, just like he had said, which the Ciel was grateful for. The idea of facing his superior after the previous night of drunken Twenty Questions and not the mention, that morning, just made the young male want to sink into the floor and disappear.

But it was Friday which meant he would have an entire weekend to figure out the confusing mess. Two whole days to wrap his head around everything and Ciel knew exactly who he wanted to talk to about all of this.

Somehow managing to avoid having a conversation with Mey, Bard or Finny, Ciel darted out of the office at the end of the day. He wrapped his pea coat around himself as he made his way to the New World Stages just a few blocks away where Alois was performing in some third-rate play.

 _God! I really hope everybody isn't naked in this play, unlike the last one._ He thought as he walked up to the ticket booth, gave the attendant a twenty before proceeding inside to get a seat. He'd sat through many of Alois's performances and some of them were fairly decent, but sometimes Ciel had found himself cringing behind his show program trying his best not watch his best friend do something incredibly humiliating in public. Yes, it was acting, it was art, and Ciel knew this, but sometimes it just went too far for his tastes.

Sighing as he found a seat in the dark almost empty theater, Ciel decided it was a good time to check his messages before the show started. Dragging his Razr out of his pocket, he scrolled through several text messages, most from Elizabeth. They did a lot of texting since they were both busy and their schedules didn't quite sync up with her classes and his work. Reading the last one his girlfriend sent made Ciel blanched slightly, 'Can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving, baby so we can spend some "quality" time together.' it read. A pang of guilt ran through his chest as he read into the obvious meaning of the words and then thought again about this morning's events. He couldn't help, but feel like he was betraying his girlfriend somehow by masturbating while thinking of someone else and that someone else being his boss and a guy actually made him feel worse. Letting out a frustrated groan,  _I really need to talk to Alois,_ the young man thought.

Looking around, Ciel noticed the small theater had filled up a bit and he knew the show would start soon. In a last minute decision, he decided to text Elizabeth back, but his fingers hovered over the touch screen, not sure what he should reply.  _I have to say something. I just can't leave her hanging there._ Racking his mind, Ciel did the only thing he could think of and typed, 'LOL' before hitting send and stuffing the phone back into his pocket.

* * *

"Nu-uh! You didn't!" Alois exclaimed, ice blue eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at his friend while they both stood at the counter of Gray's Papaya in the West Village. Ciel met the blond's stare with a sheepish glance but quickly looked away when he saw the utter amazement plastered over the cherub face.

"Not lying. I really did." Ciel shook his head grinning before he shoved half a hot dog into his mouth. Still chewing, "I totally got driven around in a town car and hang out in a multi-million dollar condo last night. It was pretty sweet." His best friend groaned in annoyance and stomped his feet like a 5-year-old throwing a tantrum.

"I hate you so much!" Alois laughed taking a sip of his papaya shake, "You're so lucky that you have that job and get to do nice things like go to parties and hang out with executives. So jealous right now!" He stuck his tongue out playfully at Ciel. The idea of Alois being envious of his roommate was a ridiculous notion since they both knew Alois would hate being in finance and that the corporate was just too stuffy for his artistic nature. "Did you tell Lizzy about it yet? She'll just die!" the blond chirped happily.

The mention of his roommate's girlfriend made Ciel choke on his food; banging his fist against his chest and coughing, Ciel tried to dislodge the intrusive piece of food from his windpipe before taking a long swig of soda. "No," Ciel croaked, the blond had stopped laughing to watch, "No, not yet. I haven't talked to her in a while." He murmured the last part of the sentence and averted his eyes from his friend's. Alois saw the change in demeanor now and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Why haven't you talked to her?" the blond probed, Ciel looking out the window acting as if he didn't hear Alois. "What are you hiding, Ciel?" he leaned over and tucked his index finger under Ciel's jaw, forcing him to turn his gaze back.

Ciel gave a defeated sigh. He knew he wanted to talk to Alois about the last night and this morning, but standing here now, Ciel felt incredibly nervous about doing it. "Well, there was something that sort of happened this morning that came about from last night." He kept trying to look down at his shoes, but the blond now had a firm grip on his friend's chin and wasn't letting him go anywhere.

Knowing that resistance was futile, Ciel told Alois the entire story of how he had played chess with Sebastian with the new rules about asking questions. He made sure to include the fact there was alcohol involved and that he drank too much in front of his boss who, in turn, sent him home in a cab with his coat because it was cold. The blond just nodded throughout the story, looking a little confused about why this had anything to do with Elizabeth. When Ciel got to the part about his morning indulgence, his face burned bright red and he watched as his roommate's expression changed from jumbled to disbelief.

The blond just stood there, not saying anything, but his mouth hanging open slightly and eyes open wide. "Please, Alois," Ciel begged, "say something."

"Oh! My! God!" Alois squealed, hurdling his body at Ciel and throwing his arms around his neck. Not expecting the attack, Ciel stumbled back into a wall. "I always wanted you to be gay!" The blond screamed with delight, jumping up and down gleefully while clapping. "We are going to have so much fun together. It will be just like Sex in the City, but with more cock!"

Ciel shoved his friend off of him and glared, "I'm not gay, Alois." The blond stopped what his was doing and pouted. "I just had a moment of temporary insanity caused by a night of drunken chess."

Placing his hands on his hips, "Do you even know how gay that just sounded?" Alois accused, not happy at all by the attempt at justifying the morning's events. "Guys don't just jack off to other guys because they ran out of porn, you know. Just admit that your boss turns you on and that you got off on it." The blond said matter-of-factly while placing a hand on his roommate's slumped shoulder.

Ciel shyly looked up at his friend again, "It's not just that I got off thinking about him," he confided, biting his lower lip again, "It was the thought of Sebastian made me even harder and when I did cum, my God! It was so intense." Replaying the images in his mind was starting to arouse Ciel again and he quickly tried to think about something else to make it stop. Alois giggled, "Yeah, you sound like you're bi-curious alright." Ciel shot his friend a dirty look. "But remember that bi-curious is the onramp to being gay. So don't think you can just stay there. You need to decide if you want to get on or get off." The blond giggled again, "But you already took care of that this morning, didn't you?"

Ciel growled and smacked his friend in the back of the head, "Stop laughing! It's not funny, Alois. What about Lizzy, huh? She's still my girlfriend." The outburst caused the blond to compose himself while his friend glared at him again.

"Ok, so, the way I see it," Alois began, looking like he was about lecture a room full of students, "You didn't actually do anything with your boss." Ciel nodded and the blond continued, "You just fantasized about someone else will you took care of your business this morning. In my book, that's not cheating, Ciel." Alois was serious as he finished his monologue and Ciel sighed, nodding slightly in agreement. He grumbled something incoherently about that not making it right, but Alois ignored it.

"Cheer up, Ciel," the blond announced as he put an around Ciel's shoulders, "Tomorrow is Halloween and we'll be dressing up and going out." Ciel looked up with a skeptical look, "And we will shake all of these problems out right on the dance floor, what do you say?"

Ciel couldn't help himself from chuckling at the exuberant face of his best friend. Alois's childlike enthusiasm had always helped Ciel out of a funk and this time was no exception. He nodded and gave a grin as he tipped his soda against Alois's shake in agreement that tomorrow's plans were on.

* * *

Ciel stepped out of the shower the next day and hurried drying himself, seeing as Alois would be back any minute with their Halloween costumes. Groaning inwardly,  _I hope he doesn't make me wear something stupid like Lizzy did last year._ He shook his wet head a bit to try to rid the memory of last year's Halloween in which his girlfriend made him wear cat ears and tail. He spent the entire evening with people petting him and telling him 'nice, kitty' and by the end of the night he really did want to hiss and claw at people for being so damn annoying.

"Olly olly oxen free!" Alois called out as he walked into the living area, slamming the front door closed with his shoe. "Ciel! Get your cute, confused butt out here and see all the goodies I brought you!" There was thumping sound as the blond dropped a bag filled with clothing on the floor.

Stepping out in just sweatpants, Ciel wandered over to his roommate and pointed at the bag, "So what did get? That doesn't look like a Ricky's bag." He tried to reach around and take a peek inside, but Alois smacked his hand away. Ciel pouted at the blond in response.

"So, impatient." Alois chuckled, "I didn't go to Ricky's. I got something better." Ice blue eyes sparkled and he smiled mischievously, reminding Ciel of a mad scientist plotting world domination. "I ran into an acquaintance on the way to the store and it turns out that he now does costume designing for some off Broadway shows." As the blond stood there looking awfully pleased with himself, Ciel shot him a skeptical look.

Sighing, Alois reached into the bag, "Oh ye of little faith," taking out pile of navy clothing and handing over to Ciel, "They're professional theater costumes so they are way better than regular cheap mass produced ones." Reaching into the bag again and bringing out some accessories, "Go put it on so we can leave."

Ciel stared down at what he was carrying in his arms, "But what am I sup . . ." he was interrupted by Alois's stomping foot. Ciel's head snapped up to see the blond's hands on both hips giving him a resolute look and he realized that he should just go change. Sighing, Ciel turned in the direction of his bedroom, dragging the outfit and its accessories with him.

The pair strolled casually along 9th Avenue, as they made their way to whatever destination Alois had decided to keep hidden from Ciel. The blond told his roommate that where they were going tonight was a surprise, but that he knew that Ciel would like it. Not one who liked surprises, Ciel decided to just go along with it, since it seemed like his friend had put some thought into this adventure and he didn't want to hurt Alois's feelings.

Alois practically pranced beside his roommate in his outfit which consisted of knee high laced-up brown boots with purple ribbons and thigh high black stockings. Under a matching three-quarter length purple overcoat, Alois had on a white shirt, green vest, and what looked like black mini shorts. To top it all off, the blond had tied a black bow around his neck, claiming he wanted to look like a present. Ciel had rolled his eyes at the comment, secretly praying that the outfit Alois had brought for him was not as flamboyant.

Taking a quick glance down, Ciel looked over his ensemble as they passed 62nd Street. Thankfully, his outfit had been much more subtle than Alois's and the navy color of the knee high shorts and thigh length suit jacket made his sapphire eyes look even bluer. Unlike his roommate's overcoat, Ciel's was buttoned up with a white shirt peeping out from the collar. There was a small black bow around his neck, but nowhere near as big and ostentatious as the blond's thankfully. The entire outfit finished with knee length black stockings and black and white heeled saddle shoes. Ciel had nodded in approval when he took a look in the mirror, but Alois being who he was just had to add one more thing; an eye patch.

"So, if you're not telling me where we are going," Ciel spoke, slightly annoyed, "Can you at least tell me what we are supposed to be tonight?"

Humming happily, "Oh, tonight we are noblemen." Alois grinned wide, "Isn't it obvious?" he gestured to Ciel's outfit as if it was the simplest concept in the world.

Ciel quirked an eyebrow, "Noblemen? Really?" he grinned with a sly smile, "That's what we are supposed to be?" Alois nodded in confirmation. "And pray tell, what title do we as noblemen have?"

Still skipping, "Well, I'm a Lord and you can be an Earl." The blond said matter or factly "I am Lord Trancy and you can be Earl of Phantomhive." Alois bobbed his head in tune with whatever rhythm he was imaging in his mind. "And tonight we are going to do something very aristocratic on this All Hallows Eve." The fake British accent he placed on the last sentence for effect made Ciel laugh out loud. Even though sometimes Alois drove his roommate crazy, but he was always fun to have around and Ciel adored him all the more for it.

Stopping suddenly in front of Lincoln Center, Alois grabbed Ciel's wrist to bring him to a halt. "Here we are!" The blond announced proudly. Ciel looked up at the breathtaking center's central plaza with the large circular fountain surrounded by the Metropolitan Opera House, Avery Fisher Hall, and David H. Koch Theater. He had always wanted to come here and see a performance, but had never had the money.

Giving the blond a confused look. "Why are we here?" Ciel asked, while his roommate smirked at him.

"This where we are going tonight. I got free tickets to see  _Le Nozze di Figaro_  at the last minute and I know you've always wanted to go here so . . ." Alois was cut off as his roommate tackled his neck, throwing his arms around his best friend in a giant hug.

"Oh my God, Alois!" Ciel squealed as he continued to choke the blond, "This is so awesome! We get to see an opera. An actual opera at the Met!" The young man jumped up and down, clasping his hands to his chest doing little to contain his excitement. Ciel's eyes shone bright with anticipation.

Alois smiled gleefully in seeing how his friend had reacted to the surprised. Gripping Ciel's wrist, the blond pulled his friend behind him as they ran up the steps to the Metropolitan Opera House and into their awaiting seats.

Ciel had never heard anything so wonderful in his entire life, he was sure of it. He and Alois sat in the worst possible seats in the theater, but that fact didn't make a bit of difference to Ciel. He didn't need to see the beautiful sets or see the actors move about the stage; he just needed to close his eyes and listen to those heavenly voices caress each note and deliver more passion and feeling in a single verse than ever could be conveyed through actions. He sighed in contentment and smiled. Alois looked over at his roommate and giggled at the peaceful look that had overtaken his friend.

The performance ended after three hours and Ciel applauded like a madman, standing up and clapping wildly. His show of adoration was brought to a halt when and hand gripped him by the arm and started dragging him out into the aisle.

"Alois, what the hell?" Ciel complained as he stumbled after the blond, jerking his appendage back.

"Dude, I have to take a leak." Alois strutted forward, pushing around people, "If you don't have to go then wait for me outside the entrance." The blond then disappeared into a throng of people, leaving Ciel to make his way alone out of the theater.

Standing outside, Ciel hummed an aria to himself while he waited. He had played violin for years because his mother felt that he should learn a musical instrument, but it wasn't until he got into high school that he had actually started to like it. Even since it had been years since he had picked up a violin, Ciel could still remember gripping the smooth wood with his fingertips and the way the bow slid over the strings, deftly guided by his other hand. But what he remembered most was the way the music made him feel. The peace those expressive notes gave him was priceless and the great pieces he had learned flowed through his mind. Closing his eyes and still humming, Ciel turned around, only so slam into a warm body behind him.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I didn . . ." Ciel's apology faded out as he looked up to see who he had just slammed into and blushed as his gaze made contact with crimson orbs.  _Oh no,_ he groaned,  _this can't be happening to me._

"Don't apologize," Sebastian chuckled, "You look like you were having a wonderful time right now." He ran his fingers through midnight locks of hair that only succeeded putting back a few a strands as the rest fell to frame his face. Ciel swallowed and took a quick step back; noticing how impeccably dressed his boss was in another one of his expensive suits peeking out from under another long black wool coat. "I have to say that I didn't take you as the type to enjoy the fine arts." A smirk spread across Sebastian's face as his eyes glowed excitedly at watching his assistant squirm.

Regaining some composure, "I am a fan actually, it's just I've never been to the Met before tonight." Ciel nervously and rambled on, "And I played violin for years. I would love to see a symphony one day as well." Running his hands through his hair, Ciel cursed himself silently for sounding like an absolute idiot.

It was in that moment that Alois rushed over to his friend's side. "You would not believe the line for the pisser, dude." The blond jumped into the conversation, apparently not noticing the handsome man standing right in front of them. "I really thought I would burst before I got there, you know? Ciel?" Alois's eyes followed Ciel's gaze and nodding his head in the direction of his boss. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't see you there." The blond stuck a hand out for Sebastian to shake, "I'm Alois. And you must be?"

Sebastian cocked his head to the side, giving a curious look. "Ahh, Alois." Directing his attention back to Ciel, "The roommate." His assistant gave an affirmative nod, "The one that smells like the department store on 5th." Sebastian flashed a million dollar smile at the flabbergasted blond while Ciel his covered laughter with his hand.

Before Alois could make a smart ass retort, "Alois, this is my boss, Sebastian Michaelis." Ciel placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave him a look that pleaded for him to behave like a civilized human being for the rest of the evening. Picking up on the hint, the blond nodded and huge grin spread across his face.

"Soooooo," Alois turned his attention back to the VP, "You're Ciel's boss. I must say, I've heard an awfully lot about you, Sir." Sebastian shot Ciel a confused look while Ciel was busying shooting Alois a death glare.

"Really," Sebastian's comment rolled off his tongue, "I find that to be very interesting." His intense stare caused his assistant to look down at his shoes and shuffle his feet nervously. Before Ciel could respond, the attention of the trio was turned to a loud voice coming towards them.

"Bloody hell, Michaelis!" the deep British voice exclaimed, "You need a map to find your way around this space. I almost didn't find my way out." Claude stalked up to the group, not noticing the two younger males in conversation with the VP. "I swear, you American's have no idea how to lay out a proper opera house." Sebastian gave him an annoyed look and nodded his head toward the rest of the apparent company. Claude narrowed his golden eyes at the two younger males and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"You remember my assistant, Ciel." Sebastian stated calmly and then turning his gaze, "And this is his friend, Alois . . ." he was cut off as the blond jumped in, grabbing a hold of Claude's hand with his own and giving a deep bow.

"Lord Alois Trancy, Sir." He put on the fake British accent again and Claude just gaped at the display, "But you may call me Your Highness." Alois looked up with his ice blue orbs and wink flirtatiously at the London VP. Claude pulled his hand back, releasing it from the grip, his mouth still hanging ajar from shock.

"Ah, yes. That is all good." Claude fumbled, not knowing what to make of all this, "Claude Faustus, Vice President of FPE's London office." His brows furrowed as he introduced himself. After a few awkward moments, Claude spoke up, "Michaelis, I believe after that horrid display of what you call fine arts, a strong drink is in order."

Sebastian shot his peer a look and sighed, "Of course, Faustus." Looking down at his assistant an idea formed in the VP's mind, "Would you care to join us?" Sebastian's eyes glittered with amusement and what Ciel could only describe as hope. A smile started to spread across his face followed by a light blush, but before he could answer, Alois beat him to the punch.

"Of course! We would be honored to grace you with our noble presence." The blond leapt forward grabbing Claude's forearm and started to drag the unwilling VP down the street. Sebastian chuckled at the sight and motioned for Ciel to follow them.

* * *

Ciel rubbed the glass of diet soda between his palms as he sat across from his boss in Rosie O'Gradys in Time Square. Alois had made himself busy on the small dance floor in front of a small live band playing a cover version of Adele's  _Rumor Has It_  and dancing and shimmying like he hadn't a care in the world. Claude was nowhere in sight, having disappeared a while ago to make phone call. Which left the assistant alone to converse with his incredibly good looking boss who was sipping on expensive whiskey.

Sebastian leaned back; arm slouched over the top of his chair. He watched as Ciel rolled his glass between thin fingers, every now and then nervously looking over to his friend before catching himself in the VP's gaze and those blue eyes looking quickly away. He was glad the eye patch had been removed, so that he could get the full effect of those beautiful blue eyes. The entire action was extremely endearing to Sebastian that his assistant found him to be so intimidating, but the real question was, what else did Ciel find interesting about his boss?

"He looks like he's having a good time." Sebastian commented, pointing to Alois.

Ciel looked in that direction and then returned his gaze and smiled, "Yeah, Alois can have a good time wherever his is. It's one of his best traits."

Sebastian nodded and sighed, "Yes, the world would be a better place if all could just enjoy ourselves a little more often without fear of retribution." He sat back again, this time rolling the sleeves of his French cuff shirt up to his elbows. Ciel watched at how elegantly his boss handled himself, as if every moment he made was fluid and effortless.

Ciel furrowed his brow, "I don't understand what you mean." He leaned forward to study the wine colored irises that seemed sad all of a sudden. Sebastian gave him a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes and shook his head before taking a sip. Ciel realized he wasn't going to get a further explanation so he decided to change the topic, "So where did Mr. Faustus go off to? He's been gone for a while."

Sebastian looked over his shoulder and snorted, "He's probably off talking to his wife."

"He's married?" Ciel's jaw dropped open in disbelief.  _How can that ass-hat be married while Sebastian is still single?_  He shook his head to rid it of the thought. Ciel did not want another mental battle between logic and his lust and at the moment, thinking about the man in front of him in any way other than business would promise just that.

"Yes. He's been married for about 5 years. Wedded bliss if you can call it that." The last sentence was hardly audible as Sebastian raised the glass to his lips to take another sip. His eyes slid back to Ciel who looked somewhat confused. Changing topics again, "So, what brought you to the Met?"

"Oh, we got free tickets. Not great seats, but still, it was wonderful." Ciel sighed delightfully as he thought back to the previous events of the evening, "What about you?"

Sebastian smiled, "Claude is in town until tomorrow and we had just finished dinner with some clients." Leaning forward and smirking, "If you liked that performance so much, I should take you to the symphony some time using the company's seats." Sebastian winked as he watched Ciel's face light up. "Although, I think next time you should try wearing something a little less conspicuous. Don't get me wrong! The Victorian age was a beautiful time period, but its fashion doesn't translate very well into a modern day setting." He chuckled as his assistant looked down at his outfit and blushed and oh, how Sebastian loved to see that blush as it spread delicately over Ciel's cheeks.

"It's a Halloween costume, "Ceil defended softly, "Alois was supposed to get something from Ric . . ." The explanation faded out as the assistant looked around the bar realizing that he didn't see his friend anywhere. Giving a perplexed look to Sebastian, "Hey, where did Alois go?"

* * *

Alois trotted out of the bar and reached into his pocket, producing a cigarette. Lifting it and a lighter to his lips, the blond tried to light the tobacco stick with no avail.

"Dammit!" he cursed, the stick hang from his lower lip, "Stupid lighter, just bought it to."

"Uh-hmmm," the sound of a throat being cleared caught Alois's attention and he turned his head to see a dark shadow in a nearby alcove. Removing the cigarette from his mouth, he curiously made his way over to the sound. Letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, the blond realized the figure was Claude, leaning back against a brick wall as he took a drag off his own cigarette.

A sly smile slowly spread across Alois's face, "Got a light for a lady?" He stuck out his unlit stick as Claude fished out a gold Zippo and clicked a flame to life. The blond brought the stick back to his mouth and took a long drag before blowing the smoke out and sighing. "I didn't know you smoked." Alois took another step closer and batted his eyelashes at the VP.

Claude watched the young male with what looked like disinterest, "I only smoke when the wife pisses me off." Smiling slightly, "What she doesn't know can't hurt her, now can it?" his golden eyes sparkled with mischief.

The admission did not faze the blond, "So you're married." Leaning up to Claude's ear, he whispered, "Does she know you're gay?" Alois caught the VP's eyes as he withdrew his body looking for a reaction, smiling coyly. Claude held the stare, not blinking and took another long drag off his cigarette before flicking the butt away.

"Yes, she does, but my extracurricular activities do not bother her." Claude ran his fingers through his dark hair, staring off into the distance, "As long as she gets to buy all the designer items she wants and gets to be part of the upper crust of London society, I am allowed to do as I please." The VP's golden orbs caught the blond's ice blue ones again, "Just as long as I stay inconspicuous about my indiscretions, it's all fine and proper."

Alois nodded his head as if he understood the premise of their agreement and flicked some ash off the end of his cigarette. "Sooo, when and where do you have said indiscretions?" He lifted the stick to his mouth and took a long last drag, never breaking eye contact with the handsome male in front of him.

Claude smirked, "Being away for business can make that very convenient for me." His eyes burned into Alois's and he took a step forward, using the palm of his hand on the young male's shoulder to push back onto the opposite brick wall.

Alois felt his back come into contact with cold masonry behind him. He cocked his head to the side and looked up, "And do you have preference in who takes part in these out of town liaisons with you?" Another smile spread over his face, except this time, Alois took the opportunity to lick his lower lip, letting the VP catch a glimpse of his pink tongue.

Claude stepped forward again, effectively closing the space between them. His hips pressed against Alois's, pushing an obvious erection into the younger male's hip. He cupped the blond's chin with his fingers and leaned down to whisper hotly into Alois's ear, "Chorus boys. Especially fair haired, blue eyed babes, with a flair for the dramatic." Pulling back, Claude examined the effects his seduction was having on the blond.

Alois gazed up and smirked, "Well, that's just perfect. Cuz I just love overbearing business men with foreign accents." Pushing himself up on his tiptoes, Alois moved to kiss Claude's thin lips, but was quickly rebuffed, as strong hand pressed down on his shoulder. The blond shot the VP a confused look.

Claude leaned in, "Not here. It's too public." Looking over his shoulder and then locking golden eyes with ice blue ones, "I'm staying at The Plaza. Come with me. I promise you, it will be worth your troubles." The VP reached down and grabbed Alois's wrist, turning his hand around so that he could cup Claude's erection.

Alois looked down and gulped, meeting the VP's gaze and nodded in agreement. Claude smiled and grabbed his coat off a nearby trash can before heading out into the street with a wide eyed chorus boy trailing behind.


	5. Chapter 5

"Nhnn, ahh . . . fuck!" Alois cried out as he gripped the Italian cotton sheets between his fingers. Some of his blond bangs matted against his forehead with perspiration while the rest swung with the rhythm of Claude's thrusts from behind. "God, Claude . . . there . . . fuck, there!" the young man panted harshly.

Claude dug his fingers even harder into the slender hips as he forcefully plunged his fat cock deeper into the fine ass in front of him. "Fuck! You are so fucking tight!" he groaned, rolling his head back and squeezing his eyes shut from pleasure. Sweat dripped from black locks of hair onto his bare calves and Alois's brown boots that flanked Claude's legs.

"Faster . . ." Alois demanded while attempting to get more air, "Fuck me harder, Claude!" The blond gasped as his request was granted and the VP began to thrust harder and with even more accuracy, brushing the young male's prostate every time. Alois moaned loudly between his erratic breaths and his knuckles turned white as he tore at the sheets.

"Yes, your highness." Claude grunted through gritted teeth as the sound of slapping skin mixed with Claude's iPod that was blaring  _Personal Jesus_ in the background. The VP was right on the edge of exploding; reaching his completion for the first time that evening, unlike his partner who was close to his second orgasm of the night. Claude drilled into the blond at an unrelenting pace making Alois cry out from pleasure and the pain having his stamina pushed to the breaking point.

"Fu . . . I'm gon-n . . . na, I . ." Alois screamed as he felt his imminent release come on. Hearing this, Claude reached down and wrapped a large hand around the blond's hard cock, giving it a firm tug. That was all it took to push Alois over the edge and he came yelling out Claude's name. The sound of the VP's name being called so erotically combined with the contracting muscles surrounding his own member was too much for Claude and he came with a low deep groan, letting the intense pleasure wash over him.

Both men fell onto their backs, panting heavily as the pleasure of their orgasms began to fade from their bodies. Claude wiped the perspiration from his forehead, before twisting away from Alois to grab his glasses from the nightstand as well as two cigarettes and a lighter. Flopping back down on the pillow, the VP pushed his glasses on and placed both sticks into his mouth; lighting them both and handing one to the exhausted blond next to him.

Alois eagerly took the offering and inhaled deeply and sighing out smoke with a satisfied groan. "That! That was fucking amazing, Claude," he crooned, rolling onto his stomach and propping himself up on his elbows on the pillows. The blond lightly ran his fingertips over the VP's sweaty chest playfully.

Claude took another drag and rolled his head to the side to watch the younger male. "Mmm, it's been quite a while since I had a decent romp with anyone." His golden eyes skimmed down the blond's body, taking in the smoothness of his back and waist and finally stopping on the round supple ass he had just been slamming into moments ago. "And you were more than decent."

The comment made Alois blush furiously and shake his fair locks in front of his light cerulean eyes to hide the embarrassment that the rest of his face betrayed. He giggled nervously and took another long drag off his smoke. It wasn't every day that he was being complimented on his skills as a lover and even less often by some high powered business executive in The Plaza. "I bet you say that to all the girls," the blond deflected the compliment.

The VP took another quick drag, shaking his head, "No, I don't." he turned onto his side, head propped up by one elbow so he could gaze at his partner, "I don't give out praise where it is not deserved. And you, my chorus boy, deserve many commendations for your skills in the sack." A slight smirk appeared on the VP's face as he watched the blond blush again.

In a swift movement, Claude grabbed Alois's waist and turned him around so that his back was pressed flush against the older male's chest. Alois gasped in surprise and flicked the finished cigarette out of his fingers. The VP wrapped his arms around the blond's midsection, cradling the smaller body into his own. The younger male gave a contented sigh at being cuddled this way and allowed his eyes to close slightly with exhaustion.

"We should get some sleep," Claude whispered into the blond's ear and his partner nodded lazily in response. The VP smiled slightly as the young male began to doze and laid down; closing his golden eyes and joining him in some much-needed rest.

* * *

Sebastian reached into his breast pocket and withdrew his smartphone as Ciel continued to scan the bar for his friend. Glancing down, the VP read a quick email from Claude telling him that he had an early flight in the morning and would be retiring for the evening. Sebastian arched an eyebrow at the message and he had a pretty good idea where his assistant's roommate was at the moment.

"You can quit looking for Alois. He's not here." Sebastian sighed, putting the blackberry away, as his assistant stopped searching and turned back in his seat. Questioning blue eyes locked with crimson red ones as he continued, "Your friend is with Faustus. And you probably won't be seeing him until the morning." The VP took another sip of his drink, resigning himself to the fact that this conversation was not over yet.

"Wait," Ciel began, "how do you know that Alois is with Claude?"

"I just got an email from Faustus saying that he has an early flight in the morning and is retiring for the evening." Sebastian kept their gazes locked together, drumming his fingertips lightly on the oak table. "Faustus' flight doesn't leave until 2 pm tomorrow." The VP grinned, watching the young male's face trying to piece together the information.

"But," Ciel pondered out loud, "how does that mean that Alois is with him and won't be home until . . ." his voice faded out as the realization of what his boss was trying to convey sank in. Ciel's mouth popped open into a silent 'O' before he snapped it shut and blushed. "But, Claude is married." the assistant protested and Sebastian chuckled at the embarrassed look on his face.

"That he is, but that doesn't mean the union with his wife is one out of love; but more out of convenience, really." The VP leaned forward, searching the blue pools for a look of disgust at his colleague's arrangement. Finding none, he continued, "Sometimes the face and life you put on for the rest of the world to see is not the same one you have behind closed doors. The wants and needs that one has are not always very compatible with what one does for a living and it is best to keep your secrets well hidden." Ruby irises gazed intently into blue eyes; as Sebastian let the words of the previous statement settle into the air between them.

Staring back, Ciel's heart rate quickened at the intense look the VP set on him; feeling as though he was somehow being drawn into those eyes he had unconsciously scooted to the edge of his seat. The young man was leaning so far over the table now that he could smell the amazing mixture of French cologne and a musky scent that was uniquely Sebastian and it made his head spin.

_What the hell does he have to keep secret? The man is the epitome of what every executive should be_.  _He's perfect,_  the last thought made Ciel freeze, his subconscious nagging him with some forbidden feeling about how it was dangerous to view his boss like that.

"Well, I guess," Ciel began slowly, carefully choosing his words, "everyone has something in their lives, past or present, which should be kept private, but isn't it better to just be honest upfront? That way you don't have to worry about keeping such secrets." His blue eyes searched to gauge the reaction of his superior.

"Oh Ciel," Sebastian almost groaned, the sound making Ciel shiver, "everyone has a few skeletons in their closet that would better off kept hidden. No matter how honest they would like to be." The VP closed the gap between the two, his lips barely grazing his assistant's ear, and in a hot breath whispered, "That's why I like to keep mine buried very, very deep." The VP smoothly and slowly slid back into his chair, lifted the glass to his lips as he watched the young male's reaction.

Ciel was frozen, his eyes never leaving his superior's as the man sat back. He searched the VP's face for some sort of emotion that might give a clue to what skeletons he had been referring to, but there was nothing other than a slight amused smirk. Gulping hard and mentally forcing himself to move, Ciel slumped back into his seat and nodded as if agreeing; letting out a shaky breath.

Sebastian continued, "Speaking of being honest and upfront, Phantomhive. You're track record says otherwise." The accusatory tone he used made Ciel's head snap up and lift his chin in an arrogant pose.

"I have been nothing, but upfront with you since I started working here, Sir." Ciel shot back; the last part of his statement coming out as a venomous hiss. His blue eyes turned cold and dark as he faced the accusation of being a liar head on; pride refusing to let him to back down. "I told you my background and have told no false stories about . . ." the young male was cut off by his superior's waving hand.

"I know all about you have told me, Ciel." Sebastian leaned forward again, red irises serious, "but what I don't know is what you haven't told me." The VP's smooth voice was dripping like a poisonous honey from his lips and Ciel backed down slightly at the way sound caressed his ears. "You don't lie, but you don't tell the entire story either."

The young man glared at the man across from him. "What exactly are you getting at, Sebastian?" he retorted very unprofessionally at his boss.

"Just that you purposely leave important facts out of your story," Sebastian cocked his head to the side, never breaking eye contact, "It makes me wonder what you are not telling me." The VP was thoroughly enjoying watching his assistant defend himself so strongly.

"Could you give me an example, please?" Ciel puffed his chest out in defiance to the comments while he clenched his fists together under the table.

"Alright, I will give you an example," the VP confirmed, "How about the fact that you never mentioned that you were in a relationship until the other evening? That seems like a pretty large piece of someone's life, a girlfriend." Sebastian continued to press his assistant for information.

"But it's not a secret," Ciel barked back, "It just never came up in conversation that I had a girlfriend." He felt his chest heave from annoyance, but not just annoyance, there was a hint of lust boiling in his veins as he was been challenged by his superior.

"No, it did not come up in conversation, but you didn't bring it up either," Sebastian corrected, "It was a fact that you conveniently left out and it makes me wonder why." His crimson eyes narrowed at the young man as he waited for an explanation.

Fuming, Ciel glared back, "How is that the fact that I have a girlfriend any of your or anybody else's damn business?" He was incensed at what was being implied by his boss, but at the same time, Ciel couldn't help feeling that Sebastian was right and he had not mentioned Lizzy for some other reason. What that reason was, he wasn't sure of yet.

"It's not really." Sebastian calmly and seriously stated, "But if you plan to go about spewing drivel about being honest and upfront then you had better make damn sure that you adhere to those principals and don't use them only when it fits your situation." The VP's eyes hardened, "In this industry, competitors will use anything against you to mire your reputation and when you work for a company as powerful as FPE your image is everything. You are an extension of the company and what you do or say is a reflection of the credibility of the company. Preaching one thing and doing another does not go over well in this field because someone will use that to exploit you which in turn insults the company." Sebastian leaned back in his seat and waited for a response.

Ciel blushed furiously at having his hypocrisy pointed out so bluntly. The VP watched Ciel's facial expressions as he had tried to sort out all the information he had just been confronted with this evening in his lovely slate colored head. The way the young man's thin eyebrows furrowed together as his mind worked furiously to put thoughts into order and make sense of things. How those bright blue eyes would widen at a possible serendipity moment and then narrow quickly when an issue arose to refute the mental breakthrough he had just achieved. Slender fingers that fidgeted nervously as he confirmed the knowledge in his mind, and then finally settling on an answer; adding it to the principle by which the young man would base his entire outlook on from that moment forward. All these actions made Sebastian smile, because to him, Ciel Phantomhive was definitely one of the most interesting people he had ever met.

Sebastian smirked, "Ciel, I understand that what I just told you may seem harsh, but I promise that what you will learn from this will only push you forward in this industry. I will teach you things about this world that will make you wonder why you ever decided to major in finance." He stood up from his chair, taking his long coat and wrapping it around his shoulders. Ciel followed and stood in front of his boss, looking up. "But in the end, it will make you more than capable of handling yourself as you get deeper into your career."

The VP glanced quickly around the bar to notice that is was empty now, except for the two of them and the bar tender who was busy flirting with the waitress. Hesitantly at first, Sebastian stepped closer to Ciel, reached out to brush the back of his knuckles against a soft pale cheek, letting his fingertips trail lightly over the young male's jaw. His red orbs watched as another blush followed his touch along Ciel's face.

Sebastian drank in the lust filled look on his assistant's face and boldly reached his fingertips up to lightly touch the pink lips that were slightly parted now with erratic breaths. His slender index and middle digits pressed softly against the lower lip and he marveled at the silky texture. He glanced up to see Ciel's reaction, but those blue eyes were still closed, breath hitching in his throat; the look of submission making the VP crazy with desire.

Wanting to take the caressing further, but thinking better of it, Sebastian let out a precarious chuckle and dropped his hand. Ciel's eyes snapped open at the sound and he gazed into the dark red eyes that loomed over him.

It took everything in Ciel's being to not fling himself at his boss. He wanted nothing more than to have Sebastian touch him again, to feel those soft fingers on his body, to feel the flood of emotions they brought to the forefront. He didn't know what he wanted to happen exactly, but at that moment, all he wanted was for Sebastian to keep touching him.

"We should get going." Sebastian said quietly, his eyes looking sad, "It's getting late. And it's never good when you close out a bar for the evening." Ciel looked over to the bartender and waitress who were now shooting them curious and nodded in agreement.

They exited the bar and into the cold night air where the assistant and his boss said quick, professional goodbyes before heading in opposite directions to their homes. Ciel had a lot to think about and much to the young man's chagrin; most of those thoughts would be about Mr. Sebastian Michaelis.

* * *

Ciel sighed heavily while flipping aimlessly through his Razr. It was 1 pm on Sunday afternoon and the young man was slumped on his couch watching CNN in an undershirt and sweat pants. Alois had yet to make an appearance and his roommate was curious to what had actually transpired between the blond and his boss's coworker the previous evening.

Thinking of last night made Ciel blush as he thought of Sebastian and how that reminded him of the amazing orgasm he had this morning by his own hand thinking about the VP. His morning fantasies were becoming a regular thing for the assistant and each time his boss was the sole subject of his lust. He sighed again and shook his head to rid himself of the confusing thoughts.

His smartphone buzzed and he looked down to see that it was his mother calling him. It had been almost two weeks since Ciel had spoken to Rachel Phantomhive and he knew she must be worried about her baby boy in the big city.

'Hi mom', Ciel smiled as he answered the call on the third ring. 'Don't worry, I'm still alive. Nobody has kidnapped me and tried to sell me into the sex trade.' A giggle from the other end caused the young man to chuckle.

'Oh, I wasn't worried about that happening,' Rachel laughed, 'No one in their right mind would try to kidnap you. You would be the worst hostage ever!' she chided her only child.

'Hey! I will have you know, that there are many people who would just love to kidnap me,' he feigned a serious and hurt tone.

'Well, then it's a good thing I finally got a hold of you now. Wouldn't want to have to scrounge up some ransom money for your release, although, they would probably pay me to take you back.' They both laughed out loud at the comment. 'No, but really, sweetie, how are?'

'Good. Busy,' he answered nonchalantly, 'Work and Alois keep my schedule pretty full most of the time.'

'Hmmm, yes, I heard that,' Ciel's ears perked at the statement, 'Elizabeth called me to tell me that you haven't been responding to her text messages as of late.' Rachel's son slunk down in his seat even more, feeling ashamed of his behavior even though his mother was not around to see it. 'Is everything ok between you two?'

'Yeah, yeah, fine,' he gave in a rushed tone, 'just been busy that's all. Big firm, lots of hours, things to do. That sort of thing, mom.'

'I see,' she hummed, 'Well, tell me all about this firm you work for. Are they nice to you? Oh! How is your boss? Does he treat you well? Do you like him?' The inquiries poured from Rachel's mouth as Ciel tried to answer them in order.

'Um, Yes, Fine, Sometimes, and . . .' he blushed as he tried to think of a correct answer for the last question. Did he like Sebastian? Well, yes, he did, when his boss wasn't trying to verbally trap him in a corner. A blush crept over his cheeks as he thought about his activities this morning again, 'Yeah, I like him.' he squeaked.

'Oh good!" Rachel breezed over as she failed to notice the obvious pause, 'I'm glad. I was getting worried that you might never find a job in this market.'

Ciel rolled his eyes, 'Thanks for the confidence, mom.'

'Don't be like that, Cici.'she crooned his nickname, 'It's just a tough market out there. Oh! Are you and Alois coming back for Thanksgiving?'

'Mom, please don't call met Cici anymore. I'm 20 years old for crying out loud,' Ciel complained, 'and I don't know. I guess so, the office should be closed.'

'I know, I know, I just can't help it, honey.' Rachel chuckled, 'Well, you find out if you are off and bring whomever you like. I would hate it for anyone to be alone on the holiday.'

There was a thumping sound outside the apartment and Ciel just knew that Alois was dragging himself up the steps. The PG conversation he was having with his mother needed to come to an end quickly before she heard something that would have her lighting a candle for her son next week at mass.

'Um, mom, I have to go,' Ciel hurried, 'Alois just came in and I need to talk to him.'

'Alright, honey. Give him my love.' Rachel sighed.

'Yeah, hmmm, I will mom, bye!' Ciel tapped the end button just as the blond burst through the door.

"The hills are alive!" Alois sang off key as he strode into the apartment, "With the sound of my orgasms!" He trotted over to Ciel still in his costume from the night before, albeit a bit wrinkled and reeking of cigarette smoke. With a goofy grin on his face, the blond plopped down next to his roommate on the couch and let out a long happy sigh.

Ciel eyed him quizzically, "So, I take it you had a good evening?" He hit the mute button the remote.

"Good doesn't even begin to describe it," he crowed, "Last night was, oh how shall I explain." Alois turned his head to stare at Ciel straight on, "I have never been so thoroughly fucked in my life." He giggled as his roommate rolled his eyes at the comment. "Really, Ciel, I am amazed I could even walk this morning, my ass hurts so much."

Ciel made a slight gagging noise, "Please, Alois. I just got up a while ago. You're sex-capades are a bit much this early in the morning." He shot another look over at his roommate who still wore the same post-coital glowy look on his face.

"Whatever," the blond pouted, "Mark my words, Ciel Phantomhive. One day you will have an orgasm so good that you will never want to leave the bedroom." Alois grinned and poked Ciel in the chest, "Or the kitchen table, or the bathroom, or . . ."

Ciel cut him off, "Ok! Ok! I get it! You had great sex!" Shooting a sly glance over, "And how do you know that I haven't had such a great orgasm with Elizabeth."

"Pffff! Please!" Alois scoffed, "If that were the case then you wouldn't be jacking off while thinking of your boss. Which, by the way," the blond tucked his knees under himself on the couch so he could look his roommate straight on, "you never told me what a fine piece of ass that man was. I mean, fuck, Ciel!"

Ciel blushed at the statement and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I didn't notice," he mumbled.

"Whatever!" Alois screeched, "The minute I saw Sebastian, all I wanted to do was get on my knees and lap at his dick like a fucking puppy!" A satisfied look spread over the blond's face as he watched his roommate's discomfort grow.

"I thought you were all about Mr. Faustus." Ciel retorted; annoyed for some unknown reason that his best friend was talking about his boss like that.

"Claude," the blond corrected, "Call him Claude. Mr. Faustus makes him sound so old." He giggled again as another flashback ran through his mind from the evening before. "But don't worry, I won't go after your precious Sebastian." He leaned forward and pushed Ciel's cheeks together with one hand so his lips pursed, "That man is all yours. He wants you bad, you know."

Ciel smacked his hand away, "What are you talking about? Sebastian doesn't want me." Alois giggled and his roommate narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Alois. What do you know?"

The blond got up from the couch and stretched lazily, "You know, I think I will take a shower." Blatantly ignoring the question, he yawned and sauntered over to the bathroom, "Having crazy monkey sex with a sexually repressed homosexual British business executive always make me feel so dirty, don't you know what I mean, Ciel?" The blond shot a wide grin over his shoulder at his irritated roommate.

Getting up to follow, "What do you know, Alois?" Ciel shouted through the now shut bathroom door, banging his fist on it.

"Oh, you'll find out." The blond laughed as the sound of running water drowned out his voice and effectively ending the conversation for the time being.

* * *

The following Monday was the same as the last two weeks had been for Ciel. He went into the office every day expecting things to be a bit different between him and his boss, but it wasn't. The VP came in and treated his assistant with the same indifference he had showed him since the day he was hired. It was if the past few out of office encounters had never happened, and the assistant was beginning to wonder if he had just hallucinated them and was starting to go crazy.

If it were not for the occasional sideways glance or slight shift in the VP's tone, Ciel would have really believed that he had made everything up. At the rare times that their eyes would lock; the young man felt like he was being sucked into a black hole where nothing existed other than the two of them. These moments always ended too soon and Ciel found himself blushing and hurrying away before anyone noticed his heated cheeks.

He couldn't deny it anymore, his boss brought something out in Ciel, a heat, no more like a desire that he had never felt before in his entire life. Even being with Elizabeth during intimate moments, Ciel had never felt a pull so strong or a desire so potent. Silently, he begged for his boss to do something to end the constant limbo he was in, but every day was the same with the VP. Too terrified to do or say anything, Ciel let the careful dance between them continue; the tango of two people who did not want to outright acknowledge that they were in a dance. This went on for a few weeks, neither one breaking the silent barrier until one day, Ciel stood alone in his boss's office.

"Sir," the assistant began, hesitant to interrupt the VP's concentration, "I understand that the office is to be closed Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday."

The VP glanced up from his paperwork and curtly asked "Yes, and your point being?"

Ciel squirmed a bit at the tone, but pressed forward, "Well, it is Thanksgiving and I was thinking of driving back home with my roommate Wednesday evening." He swallowed heavily as those crimson orbs bore into his blue ones.

Not moving an inch, "Yes. You want to go home while the office is closed and you felt the need to tell me this obvious piece of information, why again?" The VP's tone was sharp and somewhat annoyed.

"Well," Ciel glanced down at his fidgeting fingers, "my mother will be making dinner and she told me to bring along anyone who didn't have any plans. And since you haven't mentioned that you are doing anything." He faded out and dared meet his superior's eyes, which were dancing with amusement now instead of irritation.

Dropping the papers, the VP sat back in his chair and folded his fingers under his upper lip. "Are you asking me to come home to meet your parents, Ciel?" Crimson irises alit with humor as he watched his assistant squirm uncomfortably in front of the desk. "I didn't realize we were at that step in our relationship yet." His boss joked as the assistant turned bright red.

"No, I mean, yes. Meet my mother. I mean, not like that." Ciel stammered as he tried to find the appropriate answer.  _Dammit! Why does he always have to twist my words around like that?_ He fumed silently.

The VP let out a loud laugh at the delicious flustered sight of his assistant. "Phantomhive, you tell your mother thank you for the invite, but I have to regretfully decline." He rose from his seat and strode around to the front of the desk, standing only a foot or so from his assistant. The VP reached his hand out and cupped Ciel's chin so his assistant was forced to look at him. "I have to go to London that weekend for business." Ciel gave Sebastian a confused look, "The British really don't feel the need to celebrate a holiday that represents the separation of their control over an overseas colony from a hundred of years ago." He eyes were bright with delight and Ciel felt himself start to get dizzy from how close he was to his boss again.

The assistant unconsciously nibbled on his lower lip and he watched as hungry red eyes followed the action. "Ok. I will tell her that." he breathed out and nodded in tandem.

The VP cocked his head to side and brushed the pad of his thumb across Ciel's plump lower lip. "Be careful though, driving, I mean." The words rolled of his tongue almost like an afterthought. Shaking his raven locks, the VP turned on his heel and went back to sit behind his desk. Ciel let out a shaky breath and willed his heart not to hammer through his chest.

"I will, Sir." The VP nodded and picked up his papers again. Ciel took that as the sign that the conversation was over and did a 180 to leave the office, closing the door behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

"The pimp on the bus goes gimme my money, gimme my money, gimme my money!" Alois sang cheerfully to the tune of  _The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round_ as Ciel gritted his teeth and paid attention to the road in front of them. He had been stuck in the rental car for over three hours with his roommate trying desperately to get home to Pennsylvania before midnight while fighting through horrendous holiday traffic. The blond was beginning to wear on Ciel's last nerve as it seemed the longer they stayed in the car the more obnoxious he became.

"My God, Alois!" Ciel spat out a little more angrily than he intended, "Please! Can you find something else to occupy your mind with while I drive?" His blue eyes squinted as he tried to look at the upcoming exit sign. "If you keep that up I might be tempted to swerve this car off the road and into a nearby ditch."

Alois looked at his roommate with puppy dog eyes and pouted, "I was just trying to make the time pass faster." The blond huffed as he slumped down in the passenger's seat, "I'm so bored!" he moaned, "This trip is taking forever!"

Ciel chuckled at his friend's bipolar mood swing. He decided to change the subject, "So, you remember what time you're supposed to be at Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow at my house, right?"

"Yep, yep, 3 pm sharp, not a minute later." The blond squirmed in his seat so that his head lay on its side and he could stare at Ciel without craning his neck, "My dad and I really appreciate your mom having us over. He's not a very good cook." He emphasized his point by sticking out his tongue and scrunching up his face, making Ciel laugh.

"Not a problem," Ciel stated as he pulled off the interstate onto a service road. "Mom's always happy to see you guys. I swear she would feed the entire block if given the chance." The rental car made its way past a few industrial buildings before the neighborhood started to become more residential. He turned off a side street and stopped a few houses down until they were in front of a small and rundown older house.

Alois twisted around to grab his duffle bag from the back seat before placing it on his lap. The blond smiled brightly at his friend as he opened the passenger's side door. "Well, this is my stop, driver," he chirped, letting himself out into the cold night air. Turning around, Alois poked his head through the open door, "Thanks again for the ride, Ciel. See you tomorrow." The door shut, and Ciel watched as his friend trotted up the worn wooden steps to his front door.

Ciel sighed and shook his head while he started the car again. He lived only a few miles from the blond, but they had been in different school districts, not to mention grades, so they never met until college. It took only about 15 minutes before the young man pulled into the gravel driveway of the house he grew up in.

Stepping out, Ciel took a moment to look at the building that held all the memories of his younger years. The house wasn't big, two stories of whitewash wood and a small front porch. The first floor had a living room, dining area and kitchen in it while the upstairs had two bedrooms and two baths. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was cozy and comfortable, and Ciel had loved growing up in this house.

His parents had bought it before he was born and after his father left, Rachel had gotten it in the divorce settlement, which wasn't much, but he never really asked her about it. Ciel had learned a long time ago not to bring up his estranged father in front of his mother. Doing it only seemed to make her sad and the young couldn't stand seeing someone as wonderful as his mother upset, so he just stopped asking questions and accepted the fact that he didn't have or need a father.

Shaking the memories out of his mind, Ciel reached behind the front seat and grabbed his bag. Slamming the driver's side door shut and locking the vehicle, he proceeded up the porch steps to the front door. Soft light emanated from the curtained windows of the kitchen and the young man knew his mom was already deep into the prep work for tomorrow's big meal.

Lifting his hand, Ciel rapped on the door three times with his knuckles. He stood back patiently and waited, listening to the sounds of his mom's feet shuffling around inside and getting louder as they approached the front of the house. The front door opened slowly and the young man took in the sight of his mother. Ciel had inherited his mother's bright blue eyes and her height. What he didn't get was her long golden blonde hair that was right now pulled back into a sloppy ponytail and even temper, but everything else that he didn't see in Rachel, Ciel shrugged off as being traits that were attributed to his ghost of a father.

A bright smile broke across her face, and she wiped her hands on the apron over her clothes. "Hi, honey!" Rachel exclaimed as she reached out to embrace her only child. "Welcome home, Cici!"

Ciel wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head in the crook of her neck. Closing his eyes and breathing in deeply the scent of his mother, she smelled like everything calming and familiar and safe that Ciel had ever known in his life. He was so happy to be home that the young man didn't even bother correcting Rachel for using his childhood nickname. The hug was over too soon for Ciel's liking and his mother held him at arm's length to get a good look at him.

"My, I think you've lost even more weight, honey." The worried observation was followed with a smile, "Well, we'll just have to fix that this weekend, won't we?" She winked and Ciel rolled his eyes, the sweet moment had passed and now they were back to the normal dynamic of neurotic mother and aloof son.

"I'm not too thin, mom," Ciel whined, dragging his bag up the staircase to his bedroom. "And no, I'm not hungry. I ate with Alois before we left the city," as he answered the next question that was sure to be asked. "I'm just going to go to bed, I'm exhausted." Ciel didn't hear the statement from the first floor as he stepped into his room, but he was sure it was along the lines of checking up on him later.

Once inside the sanctuary of his bedroom, Ciel shut the door and immediately flopped down on his double bed face first. He crawled his way up to the pillows and took in a deep breath, smelling the familiar scent of the detergent his mom had used. Ciel let out a contended sigh and drifted off into a deep sleep, feeling happy and safe.

* * *

A long slender index finger aimlessly traced around the lip of a highball glass. The Glen Fiddich was now at room temperature, the ice having melted long ago. The drink lifted to thin lips and then swallowed smoothly as crimson eyes peered over the rim to the gentleman and an empty chair sitting across from him on the other side of the white linen covered tablecloth

"Really, Michaelis," Claude admonished, "that is your third whiskey and we haven't even ordered yet." The London VP's golden irises glanced down at the menu at Anokha and perused the selection of Indian cuisine. Not looking up, "You will be completely pissed by the time he gets here."

Sebastian put the glass down with thump, "I wouldn't be intoxicated if that half-wit could actually be somewhere on time." He scanned the opulent restaurant for their truant business partner, becoming more annoyed by the second. It wasn't like him to be so irritable, but lately, his mood seemed to have been swinging more and more in that direction. Sebastian wasn't really sure as the reason why that was; he had flown to Britain many times before and jet leg was never an issue with him. What was keeping the New York VP on edge went much deeper than that, however, he was choosing to ignore it in the hopes that eventually his moods would return to normal.

Claude glanced up, "My, my, aren't you just a ray of sunshine today." Sebastian glared at the smirk on his colleague's face. The London VP knew very well what the problem was, but he was enjoying watching the other man's discomfort too much to vocalize it.

"You would be drinking to if you had flown all the way across the Atlantic to sit in an Indian restaurant to wait for some moronic marketing director to show up," Sebastian raised his wrist to read his Movado watch, "over an hour late now." Complaining incoherently, he took another long sip of his drink, "By the way, have you spoken to the CEO recently?"

"No, I have not." Claude was back to scanning the menu and responded in a dull tone, "As far as I can tell, he is off on holiday at the moment and is entrusting us to keep things running smoothly until he gets back." The VP glanced up at Sebastian to gauge the reaction and was rewarded with seeing his jaw clench.

"Yes, that does sound like him." Sebastian confirmed, giving Claude a stern look, "And you really couldn't handle this marketing meeting without me, Faustus?"

Claude shot him a vile look, "Believe me, Michaelis; nothing would make me happier than to handle this situation without your assistance." Claude growled, "Your presence in London only makes my days drearier, but apparently the CEO specifically asked him to have you here at this meeting."

Sebastian groaned, "Lucky me." He motioned at to the waitress to give him another drink and looked back to his associate, smirking, "Speaking of lucky, Faustus, how was your last trip to the states? Anything else exciting happen while you visited The Plaza?"

Claude's eyes shot up to meet Sebastian's glimmering red orbs and frowned, "The Plaza was nice, and the people in the city were very . . . ," he stopped and thought for a moment, "accommodating."

"So, all in all, a very pleasurable trip for you this time?" Sebastian almost sneered as he watched for a break in Claude's poker face, but there was nothing. The waitress returned with a fourth drink and Sebastian quietly took a long sip, his eyes never leaving the other VP's face.

"If you are suggesting that I had a nice time, then yes I did." Claude picked up his smartphone and began looking through emails, purposely ignoring the insinuation made across the table. Putting the blackberry away, Claude leaned forward, "How about you? New York seems to be quite the bountiful cornucopia of raw talent for you these days." The VP pushed his glasses further up his nose and smirked, two could play this game. "Take for example that lovely assistant of yours. How old is he again?" Claude asked innocently.

"20." Sebastian answered, trying look uninterested, "He's young and inexperienced, but a fast learner." He looked away and took another sip of liquor, frowning that the conversation was heading somewhere he didn't want it to go.

"Ahhhh, yes, so young," Claude crooned, "And with you as his mentor I'm sure he will learn all sorts of new and exciting things." Golden eyes glowed as the words flowed seductively off the VP's tongue. He watched as Sebastian stiffened ever so slightly at the comment, the action made Claude smile.

"It's not like that, Faustus." Sebastian retorted quickly. The VP did not like being cornered and he had a gut feeling that that was exactly what his colleague was trying to accomplish at the moment. In an attempt to turn the tables, "How's Hannah been these past few months? Your wife must be getting lonely with all your traveling?"

The inquiry actually caused Claude to pale slightly and Sebastian knew he had hit a nerve. Even though Claude had married Hannah to keep up public appearances, that didn't mean he hated the fact that he had to do it in the first place. The London VP was too good at his job to just give it all up because he preferred the company of men, so he came up with a solution that suited his needs. A loveless marriage with a friend who looked the other way as long as she got what she wanted and what Hannah wanted was the money and prestige that came being married to a high-powered business executive.

Claude opened his mouth to give a scathing response, but quickly shut it as the business associate they had been waiting for walked up to the table from behind Sebastian. Seeing his reaction, Sebastian turned around in his seat just to be blinded by bright red hair that whipped past his face. A slim figure in a tailored red suit sauntered by and sat down next to Claude.

"My, God! London traffic is absolutely horrendous this time of day!" the redheaded male complained, acting all flustered. He flashed the VPs a bright smile and fluttered his lashes flirtatiously.

"Sutcliff" Claude nodded, "You are late. You are late to a meeting that you arranged to have in the first place." The annoyed VP waved his hand towards Sebastian and himself, "Michaelis and I have been here since 1 pm and it is now 2:23."

The redhead turned his attention to the New York VP across the table from him and blushed. "Sooo, sorry Sebastian," he apologized, "I had some last minute details to iron out in the PowerPoint for the expansion into China." Then rolling his green eyes, "Ronald was supposed to do it, but of course, the idiot used the wrong slide layout and the entire this looked like shit. I tell you, the job of being Marketing Director of FPE is a thankless one, it really is." The man seemed so exasperated after his little rant that one would have thought he had just finished running a marathon.

Sebastian gave the director a skeptical look, "So, Grell, what is so important that you needed me to come all the way to London now and could not wait until next week?" The VP absolutely detested the flamboyant marketing director. He seemed to have an unusual obsession with the New York executive and on several occasions had to be brutally rebuffed when his affections were not returned. That however, did not stop the man from continuously trying.

Grell giggled, "Always so forceful and straight to the point, Bassy!" Sebastian cringed at the director's nickname for him, "I just love a man who knows what he wants." The director's voice became low and sultry as he winked at the disgusted VP.

"Please refrain from calling me that, Sutcliff." Sebastian glared at the pouting director, taking another sip.

"You never want to have any fun, Sebastian," Grell complained, before changing topics, "Speaking of fun, how's that little assistant of yours?" The director's green eyes narrowed and he smirked at the surprised expression that dawned Sebastian's usual unreadable face.

"I'm sorry." Sebastian started carefully, "What does the status of my employees have that have to do with anything?" He knew that the New York office was under constant scrutiny from the main office in London and any reference to it, no matter how small, could mean bigger issues for them in the states.

"Well, you know," Grell twirled a piece of long crimson hair between his fingers absentmindedly, "inquiring minds want to know." Sebastian raised an eyebrow at Claude who just shook his head and shrugged. Grell continued to probe the executive, "Please, this is the first assistant you've had in a while that you haven't fired after 2 weeks. He must be something special if you've held onto him this long." The director turned his attention to Claude, "You've met him, Claude. What's he like?"

Claude rolled his eyes and shrugged, "Phantomhive? He's fine, I guess." Looking over at Sebastian and smirking, "Nothing special, though. He wouldn't suit my needs."

"Yes, Claude only prefers whiny, submissive assistants that he can dominate." Sebastian shot Claude a death glare that was given right back to the New York VP. The two executives stayed this for what seemed like forever, just glaring across the table at one another.

The director clapped his hands gleefully, "Now, boys, there's no reason to be so hostile. We're all friends here." Sebastian and Claude stopped their visual assault on each other to shot annoyed glares as Grell. The redhead broke out into a broad smile before changing the subject, "But anyways, let's eats. I am famished!" grabbing a menu off the table and hiding behind it.

Sebastian's eyes grew wide, "Is that it?" his tone shocked as he addressed the director. "Grell," he said slowly, "please tell me that there is more to this meeting than you just asking me a couple of silly questions about my new assistant." The VP could feel the anger starting to build up in him as he began to realize that he had flown overnight to England just to answer a few simple questions that could have been taken care of over the phone or in an email. Sebastian could not in his wildest dreams figure out why the CEO would want him here for this joke of a meeting. Oh yeah, he could, the CEO was a fucking asshole.

Grell looked up and smirked, "No, not really." He reached over the table and ran his fingertips lightly over the VP's hand that was holding the whiskey glass, "Unless you want to talk about us, Bassy." Sebastian recoiled as if he had just been touched by a venomous snake; effectively making Grell shrink away and shrug.

By this point, Sebastian had had enough of this child's play. He was enraged and his composure was quickly slipping out of his grasp, something he very rarely let happen. The VP was starting to see red and he clenched and unclenched his fists in frustration as Claude sat across from him, smirking at the show being put on before him.

After a few minutes of silence, Sebastian had calmed himself down enough to stand up from the table. "Alright, if you will excuse me," he said smoothly, "I need to go make new travel arrangements back to New York." Grell's jaw dropped at the statement and Claude raised an eyebrow at the VP, "Good afternoon, gentlemen." The New York VP proceeded to walk calmly out of the restaurant as if nothing to upset him had happened.

Once the executive was out of sight, Grell leaned over to Claude and whispered, "He's no fun. He really needs to get laid."

Claude smirked and went back to reading his menu, "You have no idea, Grell. You have no idea."

* * *

Alois let out a low groan as he rolled over next Ciel on the couch. They had just finished the massive Thanksgiving meal that Rachel had spent hours putting together and the two young men had stuffed themselves like it had been their last meal.

"I told you not to have that third piece of pumpkin pie," Ciel teased as he poked his friend in the side, eliciting another groan of discomfort.

"I know, I know, but it was just so good." The blond whined as he rolled over onto his back again. "But Pudgie is very happy right now. Aren't you, Pudgie?" Alois cooed to his stomach as he rubbed circles lovingly over the top of it. Ciel rolled his eyes and chuckled at his diluted friend.

The doorbell rang in the background and Ciel sat up as his mom answered it. After a few minutes of chitchat with the new visitor, the two roommates watched as Rachel walked into the living room with the uninvited guest. Ciel's jaw dropped when he saw who it was.

Standing in the foyer was Elizabeth Middleford, Ciel's girlfriend, all bundled up and nose pink from the cold. She had on a puffy pink Columbia Sportscoat, dark leggings and black Uggs. Blonde pigtails bounced on either side of her head and as her emerald eyes locked with Ciel's sapphire ones, she broke out into a bright smile. He knew he would be seeing her at some point over the holiday, but Ciel had not expected it to be so soon or unannounced.

"Hey, you" she greeted softly and made her way over to the couch. Alois stood first and gave his classmate a big hug and smile hello before she stopped in front of a still sitting Ciel. She looked down at her boyfriend, waiting for him to do something, "Well, aren't you going to give me a hug at least?"

Ciel shook his and stood up abruptly, "Oh! Yeah! Hi!" he wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and she cuddled into his chest. "I'm sorry, Lizzy. I just wasn't expecting to see you tonight." he breathed as he felt her giggle against him.

"Oh, I know that." Lizzy teased, leaning back to poke Ciel playfully in the chest, his arms still around her, "You're mom called earlier and told me to come over and keep you company while she took the leftovers to the homeless shelter." She leaned in and nuzzled his neck a bit with her nose, the action causing Ciel to swallow nervously. He shot a look of disapproval at his mother, who just laughed, ignoring the uncomfortable reunion.

"Speaking of," Rachel stated, "Alois, could you and your father please help me with all that food? It's all packed up and ready to go." Alois gave a big grin and nodded, hurrying out of the living room and into the kitchen, but not before he shot his nervous friend a worried look. Walking over to her son and his girlfriend, "Now you two behave while I'm gone. I should be back in a couple of hours." Smiling, Rachel patted her son on the shoulder and made her way to the kitchen.

Alone in the living room, Ciel dropped his embrace and took a step back, clearing his throat. "So, um, Lizzy. I'm sorry that I haven't called or texted much," he glanced down and fiddled with his fingers a bit, "I've just been so busy with work and I'm sure you had your hands full with med school." His excuse sounded weak, but he was being honest, well mostly. Looking up, Lizzy placed a well-manicured index finger on Ciel's lips to silence him.

"It's OK, Ciel." She said, smiling, "But if you really feel that guilty about it," leaning in next to his ear, "I know how you can make it up to me." The blonde stepped back and gave the stunned male a sexy look.

Ciel, having no idea about what else to do and just nodded. Elizabeth squealed with delight; gripping his wrist pulled him up the staircase into his bedroom as fast as humanly possible. Once in the small familiar space, she closed the door and clicked the lock into place. Ciel spun around at the sound just in time to see Elizabeth shed her winter coat and then pounce on him.

The young male stumbled back to the bed as he tried to support the weight of his aggressive girlfriend. His knees buckled and he fell on his back onto the mattress, the springs squeaking in protest. Ciel shuffled himself back a few inches trying to get out from under Elizabeth, but she just followed, climbing on top of him, straddling his hips with her thighs.

 _What the hell is wrong with her?_ The young man panicked as he lay there in shock, never having seen his girlfriend like this before; she was usually very adamant that everything they did in the bedroom should be sweet, slow, seductive, and this was anything but that.

She leaned over his chest, her purple fuzzy sweater showing off her supple breasts. Next to his ear, she pleaded, "Kiss me, Ciel," as her warm tongue dragged long his neck. Instinctively, Ciel turned his head and was met with a feverish kiss from Elizabeth. Their tongues danced around each other and Ciel's hands found themselves onto her thighs, Elizabeth moaned softly into his mouth before breaking the kiss. "I've missed you so much," she cooed, before sitting back and reaching down to pull the sweater off over her head. The girl giggled as she sat atop the young man wearing only a revealing pink lacy demi cup bra leaving little to the imagination.

Ciel eyes grew wide at the sight and blushed a bit, even though they had had sex before it had always been in the dark and it had never been so animalistic. But now he was in his room, being forcefully straddled by his girlfriend with the lights on, as she ran her hands under his t-shirt, rubbing the smooth chest with her nails.

 _I can't do this with her now, it's not right. Not after the past few . . ._  Ciel's thoughts faltered as Elizabeth pulled his shirt over his head and leaned down to lick one of his nipples. The feeling of the sensitive nub being manipulated made his body react and Ciel closed his eyes while he hissed out a breath.

"Do you like that, baby?" she cooed, glancing up to see the flushed expression of her boyfriend. Ciel's hands dropped to next to him and his fingers gripped into the comforter as Elizabeth continued her assault on his chest; alternating between the pink nubs earning a quiet moan in response. She worked her way up to Ciel's neck, where Elizabeth sucked and nipped at his throat until she found that one particular sensitive spot under his jawline that made Ciel groan. The girl this as a sign that her actions needed to progress and slid a hand down Ciel's abdomen and underneath the waistband of his jeans.

"I'm going to make you feel so good, baby," she whispered as her small hand cupped the still somewhat-soft erection. Feeling that her boyfriend wasn't as hard as he should be, Elizabeth looked down and frowned a bit. She knew it had been a while since they had seen one another, but surely all this foreplay should be turning him on more; shrugging it off as possible exhaustion, she decided to step up her game.

Elizabeth fiddled her fingers through the opening of Ciel's boxers and placed a hot palm onto his cock. The feeling of skin on skin made his eyes shoot wide open and Ciel gasped. He looked down to see Elizabeth with a self-satisfied look on her face while one of her hands pumped slowly in his pants. There was a part in the back of Ciel's mind that was telling him to stop doing this; it wasn't fair to Elizabeth to be doing this with her when he wasn't sure what he felt anymore. But, he was a guy and he had been living in sexual frustration for a few months now.

His girlfriend's touches were pleasurable and he could feel his breathing quicken at her ministrations, but deep down he knew that this was not going to be enough. He didn't feel any desire coming from his body, at least, not what he had been feeling lately when he thought of Sebastian. As soon as the image of his boss entered his mind, Ciel felt his member start to thicken in Elizabeth's palm. He tried to shoo the thoughts away, but the more his mind wandered the more intense the reaction from his girlfriend's hand job became.

Ciel closed his eyes and let himself imagine that it was Sebastian's slender fingers trailing over his hard member. That it was Sebastian who was leaning over him and breathing heavily onto his collarbone and his lips the young man was kissing. It wasn't long before his hips were thrusting desperately into the hand, heat pooling in Ciel's stomach and his breathing becoming erratic.  _Fuck, Sebastian,_ Ciel moaned internally,  _touch me, please, just fucking touch me._

"That's it, baby," Elizabeth soothed as she picked up the pace, "Cum for me." Ciel knew he was close, the tension in between his thighs was becoming unbearable now, and his body was begging for release.

Hearing in his mind, Sebastian's voice tell him to cum, Ciel came undone, moaning, "Nnn, . . . God, yes, . . . Sebastian!" Ciel's body shuddered from the aftershocks of his orgasm, and he continued to thrust his hips forward even after his seed was spilled.

As the haze of the pleasure began to fade away, Ciel opened his eyes lazily before realizing what he had just done.  _Oh God!_ flashed through his mind as his gaze met a very pale and shocked a Elizabeth Middleford, her right hand covered in the semen Ciel had just ejaculated while calling his boss's name; a man's name!

The silence between the couple for what seemed like ages, before Elizabeth spoke, her eyes dark with anger, "Who. The. Fuck. Is. Sebastian?" she hissed vehemently. Ciel flopped back on the bed and covered his eyes with his arm, praying to God that he could just die here and now.

* * *

Back in New York, Ciel sat on his couch, depressed and ashamed, having just told the entire embarrassing story with Elizabeth to Alois. The blond sat next to his friend, quietly listening to everything that the young man had to say, doing his best not to interrupt.

"And then she said she needed some time to think about it," Ciel concluded, looking down at his Razr that he flipped around in his hands slowly. Looking slowly up at his roommate, searching for a reaction.

Alois just stared back, his ice blue eyes wide, "Well" he started slowly, "that seems fair." The blond honestly did not know what to say, which was a rarity because Alois had an answer for practically everything, but seeing the desperate look on Ciel's face and he knew he had to come up with something better than that. "I mean, it's awfully big of her to not just chop your balls off right then and there." Ciel rolled his eyes at the comment.

Ciel sat back and replayed the evening in his mind. Afterwards, Elizabeth had been so mortified that she practically sprinted out of the house, half clothed, leaving Ciel with his thoughts. The next day, he received a phone call from her and the previous evening had been discussed . . .

'Ciel' Elizabeth said quietly over the phone, 'I don't know what to say about last night.'

Ciel lay on his bed, his arm over his eyes, 'I'm sorry, Lizzy.'

'Sorry is not going to change what happened. It did happen.' Elizabeth reaffirmed.

'I know, I wish it hadn't.' Ciel was grasping at straws now.

'Are you?' her question startled him, 'Do you wish it hadn't happened?' she paused, 'Because, I mean, you were with me and said someone else's name, Ciel." Ciel cringed at hearing the scenario again. 'And not just anybody's name, but a guy's.'

Ciel could have said that he didn't know what he was thinking, but that would have been a lie. He could have told her that it had been a one-time incident, but that would be a lie too. And Ciel didn't want to lie to Elizabeth, he didn't want to hurt her, but selfishly, he also didn't want her to not be a part of his life.

'Lizzy, I . . .' he began.

'Are you gay, Ciel?' Elizabeth's voice caught on the other end, 'Have you been cheating on me?'

Ciel sat upright, 'No! No, I haven't cheated on you, Lizzy.' He defended himself, 'That's not who I am, you know that!' It truly stung that Elizabeth would think him capable of something like that.

A chuckle from the other end made Ciel stop protesting, 'I don't think you even know who you are anymore, Ciel.' Elizabeth let out a long sigh, 'And you didn't answer my first question, but maybe you don't know about that either.'

'I . . . I, don't know,' Ciel admitted and slumped back down on the bed. This was not the way things were supposed to be working out for him; everything was all messed up now, and it was all his fault. He had to fix this somehow, so Ciel summoned up some courage 'What do you want to do, Lizzy?'

There was silence for a bit, 'I don't know.' Lizzy let out another long sigh, 'I need some time to think about it and I think you do as well. Let's just take a break from this now and we will talk about it later, ok?'

Ciel felt his mouth go dry, part of him filling with dread, 'So, are we breaking up?'

'No, no,' Lizzy negated, 'we're just taking some time apart to figure some stuff out, ok?' Another bitter chuckle was heard, 'Listen, I need to go, but do me a favor, Ciel.'

'Anything, Lizzy.' Guilt laced Ciel's voice. His chest felt like it was about to implode on itself.

'Don't call me for a while. I need to be alone, can you do that for me?' Elizabeth's tone was soft and sad.

Ciel swallowed hard, 'I can.' There was a long pause and the seconds turned into silent minutes.

'Ok, well, I need to go. I will talk to you later. Goodbye, Ciel.' She finished quietly and hung up the phone leaving Ciel listened to the dial tone . . .

Ciel shook the memory of the phone call out of his mind and looked back at Alois again. His friend gave him a small comforting smile and patted his shoulder, it was really all the blond could do.

Ciel knew that he was getting what he deserved right now, he had avoided Elizabeth for the past few months because he had been too involved in his own thoughts and feelings. Now, things had come to a head and neither party was happy with the outcome. He was relegated to stay in a state of limbo about their relationship until Elizabeth wanted to talk to him again, but Ciel would just have to suck it up and move forward with the situation. For the first time in a long time, Ciel was actually looking forward to going to work the next day.


	7. Chapter 7

If Ciel thought things couldn't get any worse; he was wrong. After everything that had transpired the weekend before, the young man held onto the one bit of comfort he had left, that come Monday morning he would be able to see Sebastian again. That he could let himself become lost in the electric feeling that came whenever he and his boss were alone and feel the rush of emotion that washed over him as their eyes would lock for a few moments. To Ciel, this confusing world in which he and his boss carefully tiptoed around one another would be his safe haven; something to look forward to.

But that world came crashing quickly down as Monday bled into Tuesday and then into Wednesday without so much of an ounce of recognition from the VP. In fact, if it were even possible, Sebastian was even more removed from his assistant than usual. The executive did not make eye contact with the assistant and communicated solely through email, never stopping to speak with Ciel directly about anything. As for being alone in the VP's office together, that was something that Sebastian seemed to have made sure of was not going to happen; keeping his door shut and Ciel out.

Ciel watched with confused blue eyes as the week progressed and Sebastian continued to treat him as a nonexistent entity.  _What the hell happened in London?_  Ciel moped;  _He's been such an ass since he got back._

The following week was more of the same and Ciel found himself getting more depressed by the day. He was upset about what had happened with Elizabeth and the stalemate their relationship was at now, irritated how his boss kept him at a distance him like he was the plague on a daily basis, and, finally, Ciel was angry at himself for letting all this happen in the first place. The assistant constantly berated himself for imagining that Sebastian had any feelings for him at all and told himself that he had just made the whole thing up in his head in a weak attempt to cover up the hurt feelings that appeared every time he thought about the VP.

By Friday afternoon of the third week, Ciel was just about to hang himself by his tie. He wasn't even excited that his 21st birthday was tomorrow and that Alois had planned to take him out so he could buy booze without the use of a fake ID anymore. All he really wanted to do was crawl away into a hole and die. With a frustrated groan, Ciel thunked his forehead down onto the desk.

"Oh, sweetie, you really shouldn't bang your head like that," Mey Rin commented, standing in front of the assistant's desk, a concerned look on her face. Clutching a few documents and folders to her chest, she smiled as Ciel looked up, "You'll mess up that pretty face of yours. And then where would you be?"

 _Dead. In a ditch somewhere, maybe, if I'm lucky_. Ciel pitied himself mentally. Sitting back up and trying to adjust his face into a less miserable expression, "What brings you to this side of the office, Mey? It's almost time to go home."

The office manager giggled, "I have something for you." She reached into one of the folders and pulled out an envelope, handing it to the assistant, "Happy Birthday." Ciel took the bright orange packet, a shocked look on his face, "It's just a card from the office. We all signed it." The mauve haired woman smiled enthusiastically and stood watching as the contents were being opened.

"Thank you," Ciel muttered, somewhat in awe that anybody even knew it was his birthday. He slipped his index finger under the lip of the envelope and pulled out a card with a picture of a tabby kitten next to a birthday cake on the front. Slowly, he opened it to read the preprinted inscription 'Here's hoping you have the Purrrr-fect birthday!', it took all the self-control Ciel had not to roll his eyes at the stupid term of endearment. Underneath the text were happy birthdays and well wishes from Mey Rin, Finny, Bard and at the very bottom, in elegant script, were the initials 'SM'. Ciel's eyes widened as he realized that his boss knew that it was his birthday and had taken the time to sign the card. Looking up at Mey Rin, "Really thank you, so much," the astonishment evident in his voice.

"You're welcome! Enjoy your weekend and your birthday, Ciel." Mey Rin smiled and turned on her heel, leaving the young man alone with his thoughts once more.

* * *

"No, you cannot wear that out tonight." Alois admonished Ciel's choice of wardrobe the following evening. The blond was trying to plan a fun outing for his friend's birthday and hopefully bring Ciel out of the funk he had been in for the past few weeks. Ciel gave Alois a pleading look, and the blond just shook his head.

"It's my birthday; I should be able to wear whatever the hell I want!" Ciel complained as he glanced down at his outfit. Granted, it wasn't anything fancy, a tight black long sleeved shirt, loose jeans, combat boots and his favorite navy hoodie, but he didn't look like a hobo either. Crossing his arms over his chest and scowling, "I'm not changing, Alois. If you keep this up, I'm not going out at all."

Alois let out a loud exasperated groan, "Fine! You can go out like that! Geez, you're such a baby." The blond stomped over to the front door, grabbing their coats, "But lose the hoodie, Ciel. It makes you look like you're still in high school." Ciel conceded that much and threw the hoodie onto the couch before taking his pea coat from his roommate.

"See, that wasn't so hard." Ciel teased as they walked out of the apartment building, greeted by the frigid December weather, "That's we adults call a compromise. Can you say compromise, Alois?" The blond gave his friend's shoulder an annoyed shove and Ciel stumbled a bit while chuckling.

It didn't take them long to reach the intended destination, a bar called the Irish Rogue in the theater district and the two roommate's favorite place to hang out. But tonight, they were drinking and celebrating the day Ciel Phantomhive came into the world and considering how the past few weeks had gone, Ciel was more than ready to get blissfully drunk.

Alois picked a booth and wiggled himself into the seat; Ciel chose to sit across from him in a chair. The place was a bit crowded as any good bar should be, but the waitress quickly found them

"What'll it be, boys?" the blonde waitress winked at her new customers. Ciel opened his mouth to answer, but Alois beat him to the punch.

"Two cosmos and two SoCo and Lime shots!" the blond sang out, a huge grin plastered over his face. The waitress nodded and left to get the order; Ciel shooting his friend a poignant look.

"Oh please." Alois rolled his eyes, "If I hadn't ordered you would have asked for something boring like a beer." The waitress returned, setting down two martini glasses filled with a pinkish liquid and two shot glasses of dark brown liquor. The blond immediately grabbed one of the shot glasses and motioned for Ciel to do the same. Raising it up, Alois chanted loudly, "Happy Birthday, Ciel Phantomhive! May your 21st year bring you all the joy you hope for and more." Tilting back their heads, they each took down the shot in one gulp, the liquor burning as it made its way down their throats.

"Blech!" Ciel coughed, banging his fist against his chest. "God, Alois! That was terrible." He continued to cough some more while the blond laughed at the action. Ciel had never been one to drink frequently, much less, do shots.

Another drink later, Ciel was feeling pleasantly tipsy, and Alois was his usual cheerful, talkative self, only more so. Ciel leaned over the table, pointing, ". . . .and then he signs it. After he ignores me for like, forever. What's up with that?" Alois starts to laugh at the confused expression on his friend's face as he recounts the birthday card incident from the office.

"Dude," Alois manages to get out between laughs, "you should just go up to the guy and ask him what his fucking problem with you is." The blond leans closer, a sly grin spreading over his face, "Maybe not fucking you IS his problem?"

"Pffft," Ciel snorted at the theory, although somewhere deep down he secretly hoped that this was the issue making his boss behave so strangely all of a sudden. Ciel opened his mouth for a better response, but the vibrating Razr in his pocket distracted him. Pulling it out, he blinked in disbelief at the caller ID. "It's Lizzy," he said quietly, then looking over to Alois for help.

A shocked look spread over the blond's face, "Well, are you going to answer it or let it roll to voicemail?" Ciel nodded slowly, finally standing up to take the call outside the noisy bar.

He walked a few feet on the sidewalk into the cold night air, watching the phone vibrate in his hand. Not one for confrontation, he normally would have let the call go to voicemail, but with the alcohol coursing through his system, Ciel decided on his less conventional response.

'Hello?' he asked hesitantly into the smartphone.

'Ciel?' Elizabeth asked cautiously, before chirping 'Hey! Happy Birthday!'

'Um, thanks.' Ceil muttered as he leaned against a lamppost, starting to shiver without his pea coat to keep him warm, 'To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?'

'Just calling to wish you happy birthday, that's all.' she explained, rushing the last part of the sentence. Ciel could sense there was something else Elizabeth had wanted to say, but decided to not to at the last second. He was becoming annoyed, it had been weeks since they had last spoken and then Elizabeth calls to wish him a happy birthday, but not to address the elephant in the room.

Taking a deep breath, Ciel's new found courage pushed for more information, 'No, it's not, Lizzy. What else did you call me for?' he asked in a stern voice.

Elizabeth let out a long sigh, 'Ciel, now is not the time, and I don't think . . .' She was cut off by Ciel's abrupt interruption.

'Spit it out, Elizabeth!' he growled viciously, gritting his teeth together in anger. 'I haven't heard from you in weeks, and then you just call up to tell me happy birthday and not talk about us? What the fuck?' Ciel screamed into his phone, ignoring the looks people gave him who passed by. He knew he shouldn't be yelling at Elizabeth, but his inhibitions were down at the moment and his emotions took advantage of the fact.

'Fine!' Elizabeth fired back, 'I don't think we should see each other anymore, Ciel." Everything stopped for a moment in the young man's world as the shock of what was just spoken settled in. Elizabeth took the silent opportunity to continue, 'It's just that, I don't think we can work past this, and it's not fair to either of us to pretend like we can.'

Ciel stood straight, his eyes staring off into the distance and let his mind step in for his emotions. 'You mean, YOU can't work past this and that it's not fair to YOU.' he stated in a deathly calm voice. There was a small part in the back of his mind that knew she was right; it wasn't fair to her that they kept acting like there was some way that they could change what happened or stop the wheels of their faltering relationship that were already in motion. Elizabeth not saying anything to defend herself only confirmed Ciel's theory all the more. Wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible, 'I understand. Goodbye, Elizabeth.' he said smoothly and without showing any emotion; tapped the screen, effectively ending the call.

Placing the phone back into his pocket, Ciel walked back into the bar and up to the table where Alois sat, twirling an onion ring around his index finger.

"Hey, you're back how did . . ." Alois voice faded out, seeing the grim expression on his friend's face and understanding what it meant, "Oh, I'm sorry, Ciel." The blond got up from his seat to put a consoling arm around Ciel's shoulder but was brutally slapped away. He stared at daggers at the action, "What the hell was that for?"

"Fuck this," Ciel growled, glaring at Alois," Fuck all this. I'm not doing this anymore." The blond shook his head, not understanding what he was going on about. Ciel continued his rant, "This ends tonight. I can't stand not having control of my mind or my emotions anymore. Everything is falling apart and it's all because of him." He reached down, grabbing another shot of whatever Alois had ordered and threw back, relishing the way it burned going down.

Spinning around on his heel, Ciel grabbed his pea coat as he stomped out of the bar. He heard Alois yell at him from behind, but he couldn't be bothered to go back and find out what is was about. Ciel Phantomhive was on a mission and nothing, and no one was going to get in his way until he reached his goal. And his goal had no idea he was coming for him.

* * *

 _Ok, you can do this. You made it all the way here, now all you have to do is knock,_ Ciel pep talked to himself as he stood outside the familiar door on the 56th floor in the CitySpire condominiums. The doorman, Raoul, had let him up, obviously remembering the assistant from his last visit there.  _But what if he's not home?_ the thought causing him to stop in his tracks. Shaking the deterring idea, Ciel raised his fist and banged on the door a little harder than he originally intended, but it served its purpose and he didn't care if it was rude.

He leaned against the frame as he listened to the sounds of life within; there was a conversation going on, but only one voice, so he deduced that it must be a phone call. Ciel listened as the locks clicked, and then the door swung open, revealing an aggravated Sebastian still dressed in his suit minus the jacket, tie, and shoes.

"Evening, Boss." Ciel smirked and leaned forward a bit, wiggling his eyebrows. Sebastian just stared for a few moments, speechless, having no clue to why his assistant was here.

'No. No Faustus that is not what was agreed upon.' Sebastian answered back into his blackberry. He shot Ciel a cautious look and motioned for him to come in with his hand. 'Listen, it's 1 am here. We will discuss later after I have had some sleep.' The VP continued the conversation as Ciel sauntered into the condo.

He perused the beautiful space, everything looking exactly the same as he had remembered it except that kitchen table was strewn with documents and a laptop currently. The assistant decided to hang is the coat over one of the dining chairs and followed his boss back out into foyer where the conversation kept going.

'No, I have to take care of something right now,' Sebastian threw a perplexed glance at his assistant. 'Yes, tomorrow. Good night.' The VP finished, pressing the end button, before looking up at the young man who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and smirk gracing his face.

"May I ask what you are doing here at this hour?" Sebastian began, his tone not amused. He ran his hand roughly through his long bangs, grumbling something about rudeness. Ciel watched, somewhat transfixed at how stressed his boss looked and he almost felt bad for tramping over here at this ungodly hour to disturb the VP's work; well almost.

Repeating in his head why he was there in the first place, Ceil stepped forward, "No! You don't get to make me feel bad, not this time." The authoritative tone he spoke with shocked Ciel and caused his boss to snap to attention, ruby eyes glowering. Not giving himself time to second guess his actions, Ciel continued, "This is all your fault, you know." The young man walked up the VP and poking him harshly in the chest with his finger, noticing just now that his boss's white dress shirt was halfway unbuttoned revealing more of his skin that Ciel had ever seen before, the sight making distracting him slightly.

Sebastian let his assistant assault his chest, but did not budge an inch. Instead, he smirked slightly, "Oh really. And pray tell, what is all my fault?" his tone one of interest now, crimson eyes alight with curiosity.

"This!" Ciel cried desperately, slamming his open palms onto his chest, "What you're doing to me. What you've done to my life." His blue orbs searched the other's for some recognition of what he was talking about, but there was nothing. Sebastian motioned with his hand for his assistant to continue his tirade and Ciel was more than happy to comply.

"My whole world has been turned upside down because of you!" he accused, throwing his hands up in the air. "Because you're all I think about. All day and all night, I wonder what you're doing, where you're going, who you're with." Ciel knew he should stop talking, that he was going to get himself fired, but he couldn't stop himself. A part of him, and not just a small part, wanted to say all these things out loud, consequences be dammed. So he rambled on, "I can't even fool around with my girlfriend, 'cuz there you are, in my head. I'm calling out your name while she gives me a hand job. So she dumped me; today. She broke up with me on my birthday because of you." Ciel's shoulders heaved as he gasped for breath, his face burning bright red from the admission.

Red eyes gazed thoughtfully from a few feet away, waiting patiently for the young man to calm down. When it seemed he had, Sebastian closed the space between them until they were only a foot apart. Looking down, he placed his fingers under Ciel's chin, forcing those confused blue eyes to meet his own.

"Ciel," Sebastian said softly, "what is it you want from me?" the other hand reaching up to gently rest on the side of Ciel's hair, feeling the silkiness of the slate locks. His eyes searched for an answer as his assistant stood before him, panting still, the anger slowly leaving his body.

"I-I want," Ciel breathed, "you. I want you." His mouth gone completely dry as he watched for Sebastian's reaction, his boss's face still unreadable.  _There I said it. I want him._ he affirmed in his mind.  _And now he's going to fire me._ Sebastian continued to softly caress the young man's hair and gaze into his eyes, seemingly taking his time to answer, the suspense killing Ciel.

Instead of answering, Sebastian closed his eyes and leaned in to carefully brush his lips over Ciel's. The young man's eyes widened for a moment before closing as he let his body take over. He wrapped his arms around Sebastian's neck, deepening the kiss, and pushing his body up against his boss's as the older male encircled Ciel's waist in his grip. Their mouths danced in perfect harmony, gliding back and forth over on another as their actions began to get more heated.

Sebastian sucked on Ciel's lower lip lightly and he responded by flicking his pink tongue out and into his partner's waiting mouth. Sebastian reciprocated and soon the sweet kiss had become a battle for dominance of their tongues, rolling over each other savoring the other's taste. They broke apart only for air and Ciel gasped for breath, his eyes wide again in disbelief at what was happening. He stared up at Sebastian's smiling face, red eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

In a rush of lust, Ceil threw his body at Sebastian's, pulling him down so that he could taste his boss's delicious lips again. The sudden action caused Sebastian to stumble back a few steps, before regaining his balance and pulling Ciel the side and pushing the young man's back up against a wall. The time for playing it safe had ended and Sebastian was determined to let all his constraints go.

Their lips locked in ferocious kisses again, bodies pressed together and Ciel moaned as slender hips rolled into his obvious erection. Ciel gripped Sebastian's shoulders and his boss continued to attack his assistant's throat, licking, sucking and nibbling bringing on mewls of pleasure. "Nnnh . . .ha, god," Ciel moaned while panting for air, Sebastian seeming to be caught up in the act of devouring his prey.

Reaching to down to the hem of Ciel's shirt, Sebastian quickly pulled it over the young man's head and leaned back to take a look at the slender physique. Ciel watched the red eyes glow with approval, and then Sebastian resumed his ministrations, his partner helpless to resist. He tugged at the bottom of his boss's dress shirt, pulling it free from the pants and letting his fingertips skirt over the taut muscles of his abdomen. Sebastian groaned softly from the touch and reached down to grasp the back of Ciel's one of the thighs, hitching it up and holding the knee in place near his hip. The change in position let Sebastian grind his own member of Ciel's making them both moan into each other's mouths.

"Se-Sebastian," Ciel gasped, "take me, please." His assistant begged and Sebastian growled from want into the crook of Ciel's neck. In response, the VP pulled Ciel away from the wall and pushed him down onto the large ivory rug in the middle of the room that covered the slick tile floors.

Without breaking contact, Sebastian placed his assistant down and hovered over him, one leg strategically placed between the jeans clad legs as he straddled the other. Sitting back for a moment, Sebastian removed his own shirt and marveled at the breathtaking sight in the panting wonton mess of a man beneath him. Ciel looked up through lidded eyes and licked his lips at his boss's sculpted chest, flat stomach and strong arms, he felt a little shy at being so naked in front of someone else like this, but at this point, he couldn't really bring himself to care.

Crawling back over, Sebastian placed his hands on either side of Ciel's head, supporting his weight. "I'm not going to fuck you tonight, Ciel," Sebastian smiled playfully and continued when he saw his assistant started to protest, "I don't think you quite know what you're asking for yet." Leaning over, Sebastian ran his warm tongue over the shell of Ciel's ear, causing him to shiver. "You let me know in the morning if that is still something you want," he whispered heavily before sucking on an earlobe and evoking another deep groan from his partner.

Sebastian continued to litter Ciel's body with kisses and nips, all the while making sure his thigh rubbed against his partner's hard member. Ciel pushed his aching erection against the friction provided by Sebastian and moaned softly every time they came into contact; he felt as if he might cum just from that action alone. He ran his hands over the muscular back, letting his fingertips caress the skin that felt as soft silk, before moving them down to Sebastian's clothed ass. Ciel squeezed the cheeks and pulled Sebastian closer to his body, loving the feel of their chests pressed together and increasing friction on his groin.

While sucking Ciel's nipples, causing him to arch at the touch, Sebastian trailed his fingers down the young man's side and carefully slipped his hand under the waistband of the jeans and the navy blue boxers. Ciel was so lost in the pleasure of Sebastian's tongue and teeth on his chest that he didn't notice what had happened until a hot palm came to rest on his member.

"Oh . . . Fuck!" Ciel cried out, thrusting his hips into the touch. Sebastian chuckled lightly and sat back again, pulling his hand out of the clothing, a displeased noise coming out of Ciel's mouth. The assistant gave his boss an irritated and questioning look. "No, don't," he protested weekly, pushing his hips upwards.

"You're not going to enjoy this very much with all your clothes on," Sebastian explained, pulling off one of the combat boots. The rest followed until Ciel lay completely nude on the on the rug, a sight that Sebastian drank in like a thirsty man in the desert. Not wanting to let Ciel feel out of place, he stood and unzipped his trousers and letting them drop down to the floor before kicking off his socks and then finally pulling off his black boxer briefs.

Ciel's eyes widened as he took in the lustful sight that was his boss. He was sure that the only thing he had ever seen that even closely resembled the nude body before him was at the Met in the Greek exhibit. The man was an Adonis. Ciel's hungry eyes traveled down the body until they landed on a rather large, thick erect member, making him swallow nervously.

Sebastian watched his assistant look him over and chuckled when he saw the expression change from one of wonder to trepidation. He kneeled over Ciel as he had done previously, licking and sucking on that delectable throat while running his fingertips lightly over the slender thighs. Ciel's fears started to ebb and gave way to pleasurable moans and rapid breathing.

While licking a particularly sensitive spot on Ciel's neck, Sebastian breathed, "Touch me, Ciel." Ciel could feel the huge member pressed against his outer thigh, but his mind blanked on what to do.

Ciel looked up into Sebastian's eyes, "I-I don't know what to do," he admitted bashfully, ears turning red from admitting his lack of experience. Sebastian gave a small smile before taking a hold of Ciel's wrist and brought it to his lips. Keeping their eyes locked, the VP gave a long slow lick from Ciel's wrist, over the palm, all the way to his fingertips; the sensation making the young male's eyes roll back into his head.

Guiding the smaller hand down his body, "Just touch me like you would yourself," Sebastian instructed, placing the warm appendage on his engorged erection. Ciel wrapped his fingers around the hot muscle and jumped a little when he squeezed it, earning a twitch and throaty groan from his boss.

Ciel pumped the erection just like he did at home by himself, running his thumb over the leaking slit and alternating between slow and faster ministrations. He watched Sebastian's face in fascination; the VP's eyes were shut tight from the pleasurable actions and he let out soft groans, his breathing becoming staggered and rough. Wanting to see how far he could take him, Ciel increased the tempo of his hand until his wrist was pulled off the throbbing member by his boss.

"Now, now," Sebastian teased, struggling to speak clearly while panting, "It would do us no good to finish that way. It is your birthday after all." The VP gave Ciel a wicked smirk and proceeded to press feather light kisses across the young man's abdomen, making his way down to the slender hips. Ciel's breath caught as he felt Sebastian's inky bangs tickle over his weeping member and he dug his fingers into the rug below him.

"Mmmmm," Sebastian mused, as he wrapped his long fingers around the base, his other hand pressing down on Ciel's stomach, effectively pinning the young man's hips to the floor. A hot breath ghosted over the leaking head before Ciel's entire body arched at the feeling of Sebastian's mouth suckling on the tip.

"Fu . . .Seb . . .I" Ciel moaned as he tried to thrust up into that sinful mouth, but was being restrained by the strong hand holding him down, the dominance only making him want Sebastian more. Taking the hint, Sebastian opened his mouth, engulfing the entire member in one swallow. "Goddamn!" Ciel cried out, biting his lower lip at the feeling of the wet warmth surrounding him.

Sebastian removed his hand from the base and reached down to pump his own erection, continuing to turn Ciel into a writhing mass with his talented tongue. The VP would suck soft and slow, pressing his tongue against the shaft and then switch to a hard pull, his cheeks hollowing out to create more suction. Ciel felt waves of pleasure, each one cresting higher than the last, but somehow Sebastian kept that pleasure from breaking over and Ciel was pulled back from his orgasm every time he was close.

When his member slammed into the back of Sebastian's throat, Ciel let out a long groan and twirled his finger into the soft dark locks that bounced between his thighs. His breathing was becoming so erratic that Ciel thought he might start hyperventilating, but he couldn't care about anything at the moment when all he wanted to do was find his release. Sebastian deep throated the hot cock once again and chuckled at the noises Ciel made, the vibrations pushing him over the edge and Ciel found his release.

"Oh . . . ho . . . fu . . . Seb . . !" he cried as Sebastian removed his hand, letting the young man ride out his orgasm by thrusting into the warm mouth; the VP swallowing all Ciel had to give.

Sebastian released the now flaccid cock and it flopped back onto Ciel's stomach. He watched as Ciel's thighs quivered; the young man's body still shaking from the intense orgasm. The scene that played out before Sebastian helped him reach his own climax. With a few more quick pumps, Sebastian came into his palm with a low groan. Exhausted, he flopped down next to Ciel on the rug.

The two lay next to one another, sweaty and still panting slightly, not speaking for a few minutes until Ciel shivered, his wet skin now fully exposed to the air in the condo. Sebastian looked over at his lover, "You're cold." he stated, eyebrows furrowing with a look of concern.

Ciel smiled and wrapped his arms around himself, "Just a little."

Sebastian reached over and pulled Ciel into his chest, rubbing his large palms over the thin arms. The young man sighed in contentment as he closed his eyes and listened to the steady heartbeat just below his ear.  _This is heaven. So happy._ Ciel hummed to himself, suddenly feeling very drowsy in his current position. The pair stayed like this, Sebastian stroking the soft matted hair as the young man drifted off into the best sleep he had in what seemed like years.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Bright light streamed through large windows, pulling Ciel from his comfortable slumber. He groaned lightly and flung a forearm over his face to block out the irritating sun. As consciousness seeped into the young man's mind so did memories of the previous night; effectively bolting him awake. Ciel shot up in a bed that wasn't his own and his sapphire eyes took in his surroundings.

The room was large, pretty much the size of his entire apartment painted white with ivory carpeting and various pieces of modern art tastefully decorated the space. Black wooden furniture like bookcases and a dresser placed throughout; there was one door directly across from him that lead out to the living area while another to the right looked like it opened up into a bathroom. Yet the most astounding feature of the room wasn't what was inside it, but what you could see from it. To the left, one of the walls was entirely made of glass and the view was a panoramic scene of lower Manhattan.

Ciel stared in awe at the beautiful sight, before pushing back the heavy white duvet that still covered the rest of his body and climbed out of the enormous bed. He grabbed a white undershirt that Sebastian had laid out for him and ventured out into the living area where the sounds and smells of breakfast were making him hungry.

Wandering out into the kitchen, Ciel watched as Sebastian prepared breakfast on the stove. The older man hummed softly as he scooped the contents of the skillet onto plates, wearing only gray sweatpants and the same type of shirt he had left out for his assistant. Ciel leaned against the archway, smiling; he decided that his boss never looked better.

Turning around while holding two plates, "I trust you are hungry," Sebastian commented as he made his way over to the kitchen table that was now clear of work materials. "Sit. Eat." The VP ordered, and Ciel jumped at the chance, he was starving, and the food smelled amazing.

The young man sat down and first grabbed a cup of what he thought was coffee, but upon closer examination he realized it was tea. Sebastian noticed the surprised look he was giving the mug, "You don't want tea? I thought that's what you always drank in the morning." The VP sat down across from his assistant, unfolding his napkin and placing it on his lap, a copy of the Wall Street Journal folded to the side of his breakfast.

"No, no, tea is fine," Ciel confirmed quickly and then glancing down, "I just never knew you noticed that I don't drink coffee." Looking up shyly at his boss's amused crimson eyes,  _I never thought you noticed anything I did,_ he thought.

Sebastian chuckled, "Well, you must be the only person in all of Manhattan, who actually drinks hot tea instead of coffee in the morning. I swear, nobody ever touched the earl grey in the break room until you came along." The VP unfolded the paper and began skimming the articles with digging a fork into his food.

Ciel followed suit and poked his utensil into the fluffy omelet. Taking a bite, he smiled, "This is really good. I had no idea you could cook." His boss glanced up and smirked at the compliment.

Setting the journal back down, he focused his attention at his assistant, "I live alone so; it is somewhat of a necessity that I can take care of myself." Leaning forward and grinning, "I can't just keep ordering all my meals off Seamless Web, you know." he winked and watched the younger male blush.

They ate in silence for a while, enjoying the meal, until a nagging thought made Ciel speak up, "Do you do this a lot?" The inquiry made the VP cock his head with a confused look and Ciel nervously continued, "This. I mean, make breakfast for your . . . your . . ." his voice faded out, not really knowing what to call 'this.' Lovers, maybe, one-night stands, hopefully not.

Red eyes studied the blue orbs for a moment before answering, "No. I don't make breakfast for those who I choose to share my bed with." Ciel let out a breath that he didn't realize he was holding, at first relieved that he wasn't lumped in with the usual sort, but then nervous at how many the 'who' were. Seeing the emotions flit across that beautiful face, Sebastian elaborated, "I don't do that often, but, yes, from time to time I have sated my needs with another person. It has been a while since I've done that though. Usually, I prefer to take just care of the situation myself. There's less hassle and possible complications that way."

Ciel stared back, reading nothing but the truth in Sebastian's face. He relaxed a little and went back to sipping his tea, wanting to ask more, but knowing it was rude to keep prying for information he really had no right to.

"You can ask me anything you want, Ciel," Sebastian spoke calmly, "And I will try to answer everything as honestly as I possibly can. I will never lie to you." Red eyes burned with sincerity at the statement, the assistant put the cup back down, deciding it was now or never.

"Have you done this before?" he queried, "Messed around with your past assistants? Is that why none of them lasted more than a few weeks?" Ciel's heart pounded in his chest in fear,  _please say no, please say no_ , he willed internally.

Giving a serious look, "No, I have never had an affair with any of my assistants or any of my other employees." Sebastian leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of coffee, "They didn't last for more than a few weeks because they were all spoiled brats who felt they should have been sitting in my chair instead of the desk in front of my office. _"_ He snorted at a memory and continued, "I can't stand that type of arrogance."

Feeling brave, Ciel cocked his head to the side, "But I was arrogant with you the first day I came into your office, and you still kept me. Why?" He smirked at the game he played with his boss. There was nothing more fun than playing a round of twenty questions with the VP's sharp mind.

"As I recall," Sebastian grinned wickedly, "You weren't really arrogant, but more prideful of your achievements. There is a difference between the two attitudes, you know." Ciel shook his head and the VP explained, "People who are arrogant display a sense of self-importance even though most of them have nothing to back up their accomplishments, whereas, you, Ciel Phantomhive, have a dignified sense of what you deserve based on the things you have done, which you should. The latter of the two I have respect for and the fact that you didn't just let me steamroll over you on the first day was intriguing."

"Intriguing?" Ciel arched a brow, "How so?" He watched as another grin spread over the VP's face slowly. The sight sending delicious shivers down his spine.

"Honestly?" Sebastian's crimson  glowed and Ciel nodded, "I thought you were the loveliest thing I had ever laid my eyes on and the thought of you going to some other company where another person would be able to watch that potential and beauty grow on a daily basis, well, I just couldn't allow it." The VP sat back and watched as a bright blush spread over his assistant's cheeks and all the way to the tips of his ears. He smiled at the reaction and chuckled as the young man squirmed in his seat under his intense gaze.

Feeling like he was under a microscope, Ciel asked the first question that came to his mine, "Why aren't you married?" It was out of his mouth before the young man could stop himself.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" he gave his assistant a knowing look, "I'm gay."

Ciel rolled his eyes, "I know that. But Claude's gay and he still . . ." He was cut off abruptly by Sebastian.

"How Faustus decides to handles his affairs is his own business." The VP growled, something annoying him beyond the current conversation. "I refuse to lower myself to such immoral standards and sully the holy institution of marriage just so I can pretend to fit the mold that corporate America has created." Sebastian glared at Ciel, his eyes dark with some unreadable emotion, "I would rather live a life of closeted homosexually, getting hand jobs in alleyways and secret one-night stands, then put on a show for the board of directors like he does."

Ciel watched as anger rolled in waves off his boss's heaving shoulders, shocked a question could bring on such a strong response. Cautiously, he asked, "So, what then? You live alone? Having human contact only when it's convenient for you? Never letting yourself have a real relationship?" His chest ached at the thought of the man across from him never feeling love, because in Ciel's mind, Sebastian deserved to have a life where someone could tell him every day how wonderful and special he was.

Calming down some, Sebastian composed himself, "No, I will just continue to do things as I always have. Keeping my private life as it should be, private. I'm not the only one who has benefited from staying under the radar, so to speak." He shot his assistant a fake smile and Ciel just shook his head at the situation when a thought hit him,  _Wait, what does he intend to do about me?_  The question filled the young man with fear, not from the possibility of being fired, but more from the idea that he would never get to be with Sebastian like this again. That the way his boss chose to live his life meant that Ciel would just be a passing phase, never being anything more than just a convenient way to pass the time and nothing more.

Sebastian leaned over the table and took both Ciel's hands into his, rubbing his thumbs over the backs, "That being said, I need you to understand that our relationship needs to stay quiet." Those crimson eyes were deadly serious, "No one can know about what goes on between the two of us now and going forward. The company would not look kindly on our extracurricular activities and I, for one, would like this to continue."

Ciel watched Sebastian's eyes, reading all kinds of emotions ranging from understanding to seriousness and, finally, desperation. And then it clicked,  _Oh my god,_ Ciel thought in awe,  _he wants to have a relationship with me._ The idea made the assistant want to jump up and down for joy, this man, this beautiful, complicated, powerful man, wanted to take the next step with him, even though he had just told him that he doesn't do that. But he reigned in all his emotions and just nodded slowly, telling his boss that he understood the ramifications if their relationship ever went public.

The VP released his grip and leaned back into his seat, letting out a sigh of relief, "Good. I'm glad we are on the same page." He lifted the WSJ back up and spoke from behind its pages, "Now eat. Your food is getting cold."

Ciel happily complied, watching his boss read the morning paper and blushing every now and wondering what tomorrow would bring for the two of them.

* * *

True to his word, the VP walked past his assistant Monday morning as if nothing had happened the day before. He treated Ciel with the professional indifference he had always had, being careful not to overdo it, so no one would notice anything out of the ordinary. The assistant followed suit, doing his best to not dwell on the fact that the object of his desires was just a few feet away, behind a closed door, but instead let his mind wander back to the conversation he had had with his roommate when he came home Sunday afternoon still wearing the same clothing from the night before . . .

"Walk of shame?" Alois asked from the couch as his roommate walked through the door of their apartment around 2pm, "I never thought I would see the day when Ciel Phantomhive would do that." The blond had his arms crossed over his chest attempting to look annoyed at his friend for running off and disappearing the night before, but his icy blue eyes revealed more curiosity than anger at the moment.

Ciel sighed and walked over, plopping down next to his roommate. "And what makes you think that anything happened last night?" he cocked an eyebrow, "You have no idea where I went or what I did."

Alois's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Oh, I have a pretty good idea where you went after you ran out on me." His friend blushed from his rude behavior, the blond continued, "But what you did still remains to be seen."

"Yeah, about that," Ciel began his apology, "I'm really sorry about leaving you there like that."

"Don't," The blond raised a hand for him to stop, "It's understandable, you were upset. And it was your birthday so you got to do whatever you wanted, ok?" Ciel nodded, happy that his roommate wasn't upset with him. "But, you can make it up to me by telling me what went on after you left," Alois's eyes sparkled with amusement.

Ciel glanced away and mumbled, "I would, but I can't."

Taken aback, "What do you mean you can't?" the blond had a shocked expression. Then thinking a second, "Can't or won't?"

"Can't. I can't tell you about it, I promised." He gave an apologetic look to his friend. Alois nodded slowly, the wheels spinning in his mind for a way around the roadblock to the information he was seeking.

"Ok, I get it." Alois started slowly, "You can't tell me anything, but that doesn't mean I can't still guess, right?" His roommate mulled the thought over for a minute, before nodding in agreement. Ciel had promised to keep the relationship private, but he couldn't be held responsible for what theories other people came up with on their own. And it was the least he could do after running out on his friend earlier. "Great!" a broad smile spreading over the blond's face, "Let's start!"

Alois got up from the couch and stood in front of Ciel, one hand on his chin, the other around his waist. He stared at his roommate for a few moments before starting to think out loud, "Well, you came home in the same thing you were wearing last night so that definitely means you spent the night somewhere else." Leaning forward, the blond inhaled deeply through his nose near Ciel's neck, "And you smell of sweat and someone else's cologne, an expensive one at that." The comment made Ciel blush as he thought about how he had gotten that scent on him.

Stepping back into his original position, Alois continued, "Looking at that blush, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I'm right in thinking that is was your super-hot boss you were with last night." Ciel glanced away quickly as the blush deepened, confirming the blond's theory. "Ok, now that we've established who you were with, let's continue onto what you actually did last night."

Ciel's gaze snapped back, his bright blue eyes wide with fear that someone, anyone, could just look at him and know exactly what he had done the night before. Alois chuckled, "Don't worry. It's not that obvious." he consoled, "I just know what to look for, baby." His roommate relaxed a bit at the reassuring information.

"Now, you came in walking fine," the blond kept dissecting, "so that means you didn't get fucked last night." Alois watched his friend's eyes widen again in trepidation and laughed, "Yeah, you'll find out about that later," he teased and winked, this time not making Ciel feel any better. "And you're not rubbing your jaw, so I'm assuming that you were on the receiving end of things." Another bright blush made an appearance, confirming the accuracy of the information again.

Alois sat back down next to Ciel, flinging his arm over his roommate's shoulders, "Hey, look, as long as you enjoyed it and everybody was a willing participant, then there is nothing wrong with what you did last night, ok?" Ciel gave his friend a small smile and nod; the blond returned the gesture and gave a quick kiss to his friend's forehead before shoving him away. "Now go take a shower, you reek of sex!" Alois bounded away laughing, before Ciel could retaliate with a slap or punch . . .

The memory made the assistant smile and blush a little, he was lucky to have Alois as a friend. The blond never passed judgment on anyone and was always supportive of whatever decision Ciel made, even if he didn't agree with it.

The chime of Ciel's email brought him out of his daydream and he looked up to read the new email message. 'Tell Mey to get me lunch and then come into my office' the text read from the VP. Ciel complied, calling the office manager to let her know what his boss wanted from Sushi of Gari, guessing that it would take about half an hour or so before she came back. Finny was on his lunch break and Bard was out schmoozing clients which left the office empty except for the two of them.

The assistant grabbed a pad and pen and then walked into his boss's office, shutting the door behind him. Ciel took a moment to watch Sebastian working, the way his dark bangs had slipped from behind his ear, the VP's concentration to intense to notice. The long slender fingers guided the fountain tip pen in fluid movements over the documents beneath it, his brow furrowed as he contemplated the words he wrote. So engrossed in what he was doing, Sebastian hadn't even noticed that Ciel was in his office, until the assistant cleared his throat to get his attention.

Sebastian glanced up, finished the sentence he was working on and then put the pen down. Leaning back in his chair, the VP placed his fingers on top of his lips and stared at his assistant, watching and waiting for Ciel to break the silence again.

"You wanted me for something?" Ciel asked, feeling somewhat nervous about what it could be.

"Yes, I did. How was the rest of your weekend?" Sebastian said calmly and smoothly, no emotions on his lovely face.

Confused, the assistant responded, "Fine."  _He called me in here to ask me just that?_  Ciel thought,  _He could have just asked that in the email._

Sebastian nodded, "Has Mey left for my lunch yet?"

"Yes, she has. It should take about half an hour." Ciel was becoming more confused by the small talk, "Are you really that hungry? It's only noon."

"Yes, I am actually." The VP's crimson eyes flashed for a moment. He stood up and crossed the room, past Ciel who still had no idea what this was all about, and clicked the lock into place on the office door. The sound was deafening to the assistant's ears as Sebastian turned around with a smirk on his face, "But not for lunch." the words rolling off his tongue seductively. Ciel's breathing hitched as he looked into his boss's lust filled eyes and immediately he felt his body respond to the sight.

Sebastian moved forward, pressing his lips down onto Ciel's hungrily devouring his mouth. Ciel dropped what he was carrying and wrapped his arms around Sebastian's neck; heart thumping so hard he was sure his boss would hear it. Sebastian's body guided his assistant back until Ciel's thighs banged against the edge of the desk. He let out a yelp when he felt the hard wood press into his hamstrings, looking up at Sebastian who grinned at the reaction.

His boss leaned down to suck on an earlobe, strong arms enfolded his assistant's waist as Ceil mewled and tangled his fingers in soft ebony locks. "Lay back, "Sebastian ordered softly, using a palm to push Ciel gently onto his desk, paperwork being scattered and crumpled in the process. The assistant did as he was told, his breathing erratic and his member aching to be touched.

The VP stood back and removed his jacket and tie, enjoying the sight of his flushed assistant on top of his desk. Sebastian reached down and rubbed his own hard length, moaning at the feel of the friction, before leaning over, between Ciel's thighs, to place a searing kiss on his plump lips. Ciel moaned quietly as he felt Sebastian's fingers trail down his dress shirt to the waistband of his pants, craning his neck to give his boss more access to the sensitive throat.

Sebastian unbuckled his assistant's belt, pulling it out of the loops in a swift motion, before popping the buttons of dress pants and unzipping them, sliding them to his shoes. He took a moment to eye the stiff erection being held captive in black boxers, a little damp from leaking arousal, before getting on his knees and sucking on the fabric encased member.

Ciel gripped the edge of the desk at the action, "Nnnnpf . . . . ahhhhh, his hips thrusting up into the warm mouth. "Take . . .it, take . . .it out" he pleaded to Sebastian, his heavy breathing making it difficult to form words. Sebastian chuckled before releasing the wet mass, earning a displeased groan from his partner.

The VP reached down and pulled off his assistant's shoes and pants, discarding them carelessly on the floor. His strong hands grabbed a hold of the slender hips and pulled Ciel to very edge of the desk, his assistant yelped at the swift motion and he felt like he was going to fall off. Sebastian moved forward again, this time placing one of his assistant's knees over each of his shoulders, so that his face was directly in front of Ciel's groin.

The VP hummed approvingly at the sight in front of him, his thumbs rubbing small circles into the hips he was holding onto. Sebastian leaned in, rubbing his nose along Ciel's throbbing member, taking in the smell of sex emanating from it. His assistant shivered at the feeling and his cock twitched with anticipation of what was to come next. He knew any minute, someone could come knocking on his boss's door and that this little afternoon romp might be discovered, however, the same thought only fueled Ciel's arousal all the more.

Sebastian grabbed the waistband of the boxers and jerked them down, finally freeing Ciel's member and earning a quick hiss as he felt his manhood exposed to the cold air in the office. "Sebastian, please," Ciel pleaded, not knowing how much more of the waiting he could take, he needed Sebastian to do something and do it now.

The VP chuckled, delighted at the desperate pleas coming from his assistant and extended his warm tongue to lick the cock from base to tip very slowly. Ciel shuddered at the action; he could feel the sides of Sebastian's hair tickle his supple thighs and he brought one hand up to his mouth to bite down on and muffle any loud noises he was going to make.

Sebastian wrapped his fingers around the base of Ciel's length, holding it firm as he lapped at the slit, letting his saliva mix with the pre-cum until it ran down to his hand. "Nahh . . . seb . . . hnn," Ciel moaned into his palm as the VP continued to lavish attention to the overly sensitive head, taking in all the noises coming from overhead.

Reaching the other hand up, Sebastian cupped his partner's balls, rolling the soft sacs between his fingers, then the digits trailed down under his sac to apply light pressure to the perineum, bringing another loud groan from Ciel and a slight bucking of hips. "Gahhh . . . that . . ." Ciel gasped, not able to finish the thought as Sebastian quickly engulfed his entire member into his hot mouth.

Sebastian sucked and bobbed his head on Ciel's cock while rubbing the delicate spot under his sac, the combination making the assistant bite down hard into his hand to keep from screaming out from the intense pleasure. Ciel's whole body was shaking from the stimulation, his thighs quaking from the unusual strain of being in the position they were, his heels digging into Sebastian's back. The VP didn't seem to mind the feeling and it only made him suck even harder, letting the slick head slide as far back into his throat as possible. The position gave Sebastian even more control over his ministrations than the last time and that left Ciel completely at mercy of his tongue.

"Seb – seba . . . I can't . . . too much . . ."Ciel whined as he felt the heat of his orgasm start to pulsate in his abdomen. He was so close now, his sac tightening and cock becoming even harder. His eyes rolled back as he the feeling of release spread over his lower regions. Grabbing a fistful of Sebastian's hair, "Ahhhhh, Godd!" he cried out, his other hand completely gone from his mouth as it joined in the silky black hair, holding the head between his quivering thighs.

Ciel breathed heavily and groaned softly as he thrust some more into Sebastian's waiting mouth, drinking up every last drop of Ciel like the last time. The VP finally let the soft cock pop out of his mouth and he eased the boxer shorts back into place, a satisfied look on his face at the panting mess on his desk. Ciel looked up; his blue eyes wide with disbelief and satisfaction, before taking the hand his boss offered to help him up from the desk.

The assistant shuffled his pants and shoes back on and looked around for his belt. Finding it and placing it back into the loops, "What about you?" Ciel asked, eyeing his boss who was already in his jacket and straightening his tie. "It isn't fair that I haven't, you know." he blushed at not being able to say the words out loud, especially considering what they had just done.

Sebastian let out a laugh, his red eyes twinkling, "Oh don't you worry. You give me much more than you think you do just by being here." The VP walked over to the door and unlocked it, "Besides, we don't have time for that now and that's not something you should experience the first time in a public place like this." The assistant followed his boss out to his desk, where he sat down, the VP running his fingers through his dark hair and walking down the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Ciel asked, puzzled as to why Sebastian was leaving his office so soon.

Looking over his shoulder, "To the men's room. I have something I need to take care of." He winked, watching his assistant turn bright red again before disappearing around the corner.

Ciel let out a long sigh and smiled to himself,  _Whoever said they don't like Mondays?_

* * *

The rest of the week passed without fanfare and Ciel barely saw his boss most of the time. The VP had been out of the office most of the week with clients and meetings at other firms which left his assistant plenty of time to think about things. Ciel had received an email from his mother still trying to convince her only son to come home for Christmas, but with the holiday being in the middle of the week this year, getting back and forth to Pennsylvania in such a short amount of time just wasn't feasible. Besides, his aunt Angelina was going to be staying with her sister for the week of Christmas and New Year's so Ciel had a feeling he wouldn't be missed that much anyways. Although, that still didn't answer the question of what he would be doing for Christmas this year, the thought making him sigh.

"If you are really that bored, I can always find something else for you to do." Sebastian stated in his deep voice as he walked up to his assistant's desk. Ciel looked up in surprise; he hadn't expected his boss to be back this early. Crimson eyes were alight with playfulness as the smirk spread over the VP's face, "As it is, I do have something for you to do. Follow me, please." The assistant stood from his desk and trailed behind his boss into his office.  _I wonder if this is going to be the same thing as Monday_? Ciel thought shamelessly, but the realized that the office was full of people so probably was not going to happen.

Taking off his coat and sliding into his chair, Sebastian instructed, "I need you to make reservations at Capital Grille in Midtown for tomorrow at 8 pm." The VP began looking over the papers on his desk, "And make it for four people."

The assistant nodded and turned to leave the office when his boss spoke again, "Oh, Ciel?" The young man turned around again to face his boss who was grinning. "I expect you to be there on time tomorrow and bring that roommate of yours as well."

"Ok-ay," Ciel stated slowly, confused as to why he was going and even more perplexed that he was being asked to bring Alois with him. "Just curious, Sir, why are Alois and I going to dinner with you and . . ." he faded out realizing that he had no idea who the fourth person was.

"Faustus," Sebastian finished for his assistant, "We have some things that need to be discussed and he will be coming into the city tonight for the weekend. Your being there will be a good learning experience for you, not to mention that it will make listening to Faustus more interesting with you there as a distraction." The last part of the sentence was said so softly that Ciel wasn't sure he had heard his boss correctly, but the look on the VP's face told him he had. "And as for your roommate, well, I'm sure my colleague would enjoy spending some more time with him, don't you think so?" a mischievous grin spread over Sebastian's face as he spoke the words with double meaning.

Ciel nodded and gave a wide smile, before turning to leave and follow his instructions. He was elated. He was going to see Sebastian again this Saturday and even though he would be putting up with Claude for some of that time, he hoped that Alois would be able to keep the London VP occupied for at least a little while.


	9. Chapter 9

"I just love a free meal, especially an expensive one." Alois declared, rather loudly in the Capital Grille. Ciel glared viciously at his friend sitting next to him at the round linen covered table, watching the blonde make silly faces into the reflective surface of his silverware. Putting the spoon down, "Don't you agree with me, Ciel?" he asked, earning an eye roll at the question.

"Please try to behave yourself." Ciel hissed quietly, looking around making sure nobody was staring at the pair, of course, no one was. They had gotten to the steakhouse early and had been seated while they awaited the rest of their dinner party.

"Hmm?" Alois muttered as he stuffed another piece of bread into his mouth. The blonde munched happily and looked around at the décor, getting breadcrumbs all over the suit Ciel had let him borrow, a sight that made his roommate cringe. Thankfully, they were close to the same size and Ciel's charcoal grey Hugo Boss three piece had been altered a bit too long, so it fit his roommate like a glove. And he had to admit that the blonde looked dashing in it, that was until Alois decided to add his usual flare and proceeded to replace the light blue tie his roommate had given him with a bright red bow tie; stating that he wanted to look like a Christmas gift for Claude to unwrap. The comment had made Ciel shuddered slightly at the thought of Alois and Claude going at it.  _Ew, ew, ew!_ he thought.

Ciel just shook his head in disbelief at the dichotomy that was his best friend. Sometimes, Alois was so normal and levelheaded, like the other day when he had come home after his birthday, and then seemingly out of nowhere, the blonde turned into an eager five year old who wanted to do things like become a fireman or wear a bow tie to dinner.

Before he could hiss another instruction, Ciel was interrupted by a smooth voice he knew so well, "Gentlemen, I apologize for being late." Ciel looked over his shoulder and melted at the sight of his boss smiling at him, dressed up to the nines as usual with Claude at his side, offering a nod before they both sat.

"Yes, traffic was an absolute bear this evening." Claude justified, pushing his glasses further up his nose, golden orbs flitting over to a smiling Alois for a moment before returning back to Sebastian. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he noticed the gaze being exchanged between the VP and his assistant. "Shall we order drinks then?" the London VP interrupted, Sebastian turning his attention back to his colleague.

"Yes, of course," Sebastian agreed, motioning for the waiter to come over. The man smiled and lowered his head to listen as the New York executive whispered an order into his ear. As the waiter left, "Red is good for everybody?" The men all nodded and went back to looking at the menu.

"Soooo, Claude," Alois drawled out, batting his eyelashes at the executive, "How has London been?" Claude gave the blonde a glance and leaned over his elbow to have a more quiet conversation between just the two of them. Ciel couldn't hear any of it, but it must have been entertaining from the sounds of his roommate's giggles and Claude's low chuckles.  _Well, they seem to be getting along nicely,_ he mused thankfully.

"What in the world do think those two are talking about?" Sebastian asked quietly, making Ciel jump at his sudden close proximity. The VP had leaned over, his lips mere inches from his assistant's ear, the smell of his cologne making Ciel a bit light-headed.

Shaking his head and smirking, "Knowing Alois it's probably something you and I don't want to hear about." Ciel cast a knowing glance at his superior before Sebastian slid back into his original position, chuckling, just in time for the waiter to return with the wine.

Glasses were poured and Sebastian lifted one, "A toast," the others at the table followed suit, lifting their glasses as well, "To the holiday season and best wishes for the new year." A resounding 'here, here' was heard while sips were taken of the deep red liquid.

"Well, then," Claude began, resting his chin on laced fingers and staring at Ciel, "I was under the impression that you were under age, Phantomhive." His golden eyes stared intently at the assistant, making Ciel feel like the VP was trying to burn his gaze into his soul.

"I was, but I recently turned 21, Mr. Faustus." The assistant informed politely, and to prove his point, took another sip of the expensive beverage. "All legal now", Ciel's blue eyes glared back, his pride refusing to be the first to back down from the arrogant stare of the London VP.

Claude gave a low chuckle, "I bet you are." He shot Sebastian a sly glance, "Ready for all the lessons that life has yet to teach you. But no worries, I'm sure Michaelis will take good care of you." The New York VP furrowed his brows at the comment, crimson orbs glowering at his colleague.

The VP turned his attention back to the menu, not looking up "Really, Michaelis, what is good to eat here?" Before Sebastian could answer, Alois tapped Claude's arm and leaned over to whisper something in his ear, the remark causing him to laugh out loud. "Hmm, yes, that would be rather good." He remarked, licking his lips at the blonde.

Ciel wanted to bang his head against the table because he had a pretty good idea what his roommate had just told the London VP. Sebastian and his assistant exchanged a knowing look and his boss smiled warmly and shrugged his shoulders at the situation, taking another sip of wine.

Dinner continued this way for another two hours, Alois making Claude laugh at whatever absurdities spilled from his mouth, while anything actually business related was discussed between Ciel and Sebastian.

After coffee and dessert was finished Sebastian arched an eyebrow at his colleague, "I believe that we should call it a night, Faustus. I'm sure you have other things you would still like to attend to this evening." His colleague nodded in agreement and the bill was asked for and settled.

Standing outside the restaurant, the four bundled up in their coats trying to stay warm on the particularly cold December night. Ciel had no idea where he was going after this, but he did have a good idea about what he wanted to be doing. The thought making him blush, an action that did not go unnoticed by his boss, who looked at his assistant with hungry eyes.

Claude narrowed his eyes again at the look on his colleague's face, smirking, "Bloody hell, it's cold in this damn city!" Claude cursed as he rubbed his gloved hands together, the exclamation pulling Sebastian from his current state of mind. "Well, Michaelis, as always it has been," the executive paused for a moment, "informative." His tone laced with something unknown which Sebastian picked up and stared at Claude suspiciously. The London VP quickly turned his attention to the hyper blonde next to him, "Fancy a nightcap?" Claude smirked and arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes!" Alois chirped, linking his arm through the VP's before turning to walk with him down the sidewalk. He looked over his shoulder to wink at his roommate and giggle before disappearing around a corner.

"Well, that was creepy." Sebastian stated bluntly, causing Ciel to burst out in laughter. "What's so funny?" he asked, smiling at his assistant; the young man just kept laughing as they began to walk away from the restaurant.

After a block or two, Ciel became curious of their destination, "Where are we going?" They weren't headed in the direction of the VP's condo currently and he was starting to shiver from the intense cold.

"That all depends on whether you can remember how to get back to your place from here or not." Sebastian smirked at his assistant's shocked face and explained, "I just thought you might like a change of scenery from my place and besides, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to see where you live." The older man's crimson eyes were alight with interest at the prospect of getting to know his assistant on a more personal level.

Ciel nodded and swallowed hard, turning down the next block. He was nervous; his place was nothing like Sebastian's, who lived in a beautiful condo in Midtown whereas he lived with Alois in a small one and a half bedroom in Hell's Kitchen. He felt his face heat up with embarrassment as he thought about his boss would react to the meager living space. Ciel let out a soft sigh, resolving himself to the fact that there really wasn't anyway he would get out of taking the VP home with him.  _At least, it's warm,_ the young man grumbled as he counted the steps mentally to his apartment.

* * *

Walking through the front door of the tiny apartment, Ciel did his best not to look ashamed of its shabby appearance, hanging his coat up on a hook rather than just dumping it on the couch like he normally would do if he were alone. Turning around to look at Sebastian, Ciel stepped backwards a few feet.

"Sooo, this is it," Ciel stated, his arms spread wide, "home, sweet, home." The assistant watched the crimson eyes roam around the small space, a slight smirk playing on Sebastian's lips. The well-dressed executive looked out of place in the simple surroundings and Ciel felt his heart drop in his chest with despair, glumly thinking,  _He belongs in his expensive condo, not here in this dump._

"It's cozy," the VP remarked softly, not a hint of condescension in his voice. Stepping forward to close the distance between them, wrapping an arm around his assistant's waist, he whispered, "So, where is your room?" The seductive tone made Ciel shiver and his blue eyes locked with the intense gaze his boss had set upon him.

"In here," he motioned and walked into his den/bedroom. Sebastian followed him, taking off his coat and hanging it over a chair in the corner while Ciel went to his dresser to shuffle through some clothing. "I, um," the young man fumbled, turning around to face his boss, but keeping his eyes on the floor, "I don't really have anything for you to sleep in. I'm sorry." Ciel's face burned bright red from embarrassment and he looked towards the window; fidgeting with his usual night wear in his hands.

Sebastian crossed the room, placing a finger under the young's chin, forcing him to look up. "You don't have to be embarrassed about anything, Ciel," his ruby eyes soft, "Your place is perfect. You are perfect." The VP leaned down and placed a light kiss on his assistant's forehead, rubbing a slow circle with his thumb onto the soft cheek; a pale blush rising over the pallid skin.

Ciel smiled and relaxed a little, "I'm going to go to the restroom to change. Make yourself comfortable." The young man walked out of the room and closed the bathroom door behind him, leaving it slightly ajar so he could hear Sebastian if he needed anything.

Sebastian took the opportunity alone to look around the bedroom more closely. There was a bed in the corner that looked to be queen sized, covered in a dark blue quilt and several pillows in various shades of navy. Next to it was a nightstand with a small lamp, cell charger and Ciel's iPod with a small speaker plugged into the jack. Sebastian's fingers traced over the circular pad, scrolling through multiple playlists before settling on one that contained  _Wild Horses_ coveredby The Sundays. Pushing play, the melodic first bars filled the room he turned his attention a photo nearby.

Picking up the frame the VP frowned at it for a moment, getting a better look. The picture consisted of Ciel in a graduation uniform, holding his diploma from Seton Hill and smiling brightly at the camera. However, it wasn't the jubilant look on the young man's face that caught the VP's attention, but the woman who stood next to him. Long blonde hair hung over her shoulders, an arm wrapped around Ciel's waist, the same bright blue eyes shining and a soft, proud smile gracing her features. Although the executive couldn't pinpoint the time or place, he knew that he had seen this woman somewhere before, but the inability of being able to remember where or when annoyed him.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Sebastian spoke, "This is your mother, I take it?" The VP turned around to show Ciel the picture he had been holding, taking a moment to notice that the young man had changed into a white undershirt and grey sweatpants, before continuing, "You look like her, you know? Same beautiful blue eyes." Reaching out to cup the young man's chin in his hand, "It's like you can see your entire soul in those eyes." Sebastian murmured, gazing deeply into the blue orbs.

Shaking his head to break the moment, Ciel took the photo from the large hands, looking at it before putting it back down and sighing, "I know. People tell me that all the time." He stepped around his boss to take a seat at the end of his bed, one leg crossed under him, "But that's about all I got from her, well that, and maybe my short height. Everything else comes from him, I guess." A dark emotion flitted over his face as he mumbled the last comment.

Sebastian removed his jacket and tie and sat down near the head of the bed, leaning his tall frame against the wall where a headboard would have been. The VP's eyes searched the sad blue ones across from him, "Ciel, what happened to your father?" The question was asked carefully and slowly almost as if the VP thought the inquiry might scare the young man off like a frightened deer.

Averting his gaze, Ciel spoke quietly, "I don't know really, only what mom told me. That I was born and then for no real reason, he just up and left one day. A few months later they were divorced and that was the end of it." Ciel let out a long breath and finally turned his gaze to the concerned red eyes, "So, pretty much anything about me that doesn't resemble my mom is from him. She has said once or twice that I look like him, same nose, but it doesn't really matter. He's not here anyways." The assistant gave his boss a sad smile, trying not to fall to pieces in front of the man.

Sebastian reached over, grabbing Ciel's wrist and pulled the young man into his chest. Placing one hand over the small back and resting his chin on top of the slate colored hair, "It's alright to miss him, Ciel. He is your father, and all children love their parents, no matter what they did to them." The VP gasped in shock as two palms were slammed forcefully against his chest, the young man pushing away, glaring, blue orbs burning bright with anger.

"What would you know about that?" Ciel spat, his chest heaving with rage, "What could you possibly know about loving someone who doesn't want to have anything to do with you?"

Sebastian's eyes grew dark; his irises resembling the color of blood, "I know a lot more than you think I do. But instead of just my father wanting to have nothing to do with me, my mother disowned me as well." The young man froze at the admission, his eyes wide with disbelief as his boss continued, "It was after college. I had just graduated from Princeton and had come to the realization that I was gay, something that two very Catholic conservative parents could not understand. When I told them, they called me a demon, or at least, had been possessed by Satan himself and that they never wanted to see me again. Although, they did say they would continue pray for my damned soul." The last part spat out with extreme animosity.

Ciel sat still and stared, his mouth dropped open as he listened to the sad story. Sebastian chuckled bitterly, "The ironic thing is that while they were driving to the church that very night to pray for my unclean soul, my father lost control of the car and slammed into an oncoming truck. Both of them died on impact." The bloody eyes flicked up sadly to gaze at the blue pools in front of him, "Where was their self-righteous God then?"

Sebastian was cut off as a pair of lips quickly latched onto his mouth, desperately kissing, trying to soothe away the painful memories. Ciel straddled the VP's hips, shoving him against the wall again, his slender arms enfolding his partner and fisting Sebastian's hair to press into the kiss with even more force.

Ciel broke away, both gasping for breath, "I – I'm so sorry for you, Sebastian," placing another soft kiss on those pink lips, "That must have been so horrible for you." The young man felt like he was on the verge of tears, his heart breaking for what his lover had been through. He now felt silly for getting upset about something so trivial, whining about not having his father around, when Sebastian had had it so much worse.

The VP shushed his assistant, caressing his hair, "No need. I've moved past that a long time ago." He gazed into those azure eyes he loved so much and smiled, "Besides what matters is the present, because all we really have is the now." He leaned forward and nipped at the bottom of his assistant's lip before pressing another deep kiss onto that delectable mouth.

Ciel groaned as he felt strong hands move down his back and come to rest on his hips, rocking them back and forth slightly. The young man could feel the hard arousal of his boss between his thighs, brushing against him with each motion. He grabbed Sebastian's shoulders and began to roll his hips over the large hard member, hearing the VP's breathing become erratic at the gyration. He moaned into Ciel's ear, his hips thrusting to create more friction and the young man felt his own member harden with want as well.

"Ciel," Sebastian whispered hotly into his ear, causing Ciel to whine softly, "You don't have to do this now. It's not necessary." The words that spilled from the VP's mouth were honest enough, but behind the voice was a tone thick with lust and need.

Ciel stopped his motions for a moment, placing his lips next to Sebastian's ear, "I know, but I want to."

With that, the young man sat back to stare at his lover in the eyes before scooting himself down the long body, placing himself between the lanky legs. Sebastian watched with curious eyes as the young man's fingers tugged at his belt, releasing it before pulling the white dress shirt from the confines of the trousers. He took a sharp breath as Ciel's warm tongue traced along the hemline of his pants, placing soft kisses along the defined hip bone.

Using one hand on his thigh for support, Ciel flicked the button on the trousers open and dragged the zipper down slowly, allowing his tongue to find more skin to taste on the taut abdomen. Sebastian was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling in an uneven pattern as he watched the slow and steady seduction by his assistant was playing between his thighs. Having pushed the hemline down far enough to expose black boxers and the hard mound straining beneath them, Ciel took a moment to admire the view before him. He smirked when the member twitched with want and the young man felt excited and very nervous at what he was about to attempt.

Ciel's crooked a finger along the boxers' waistband and swiftly pulled them down, letting the thick cock spring free and bob in the air, pre-cum leaking off the tip. The sudden change in temperature on the sensitive muscle caused Sebastian to hiss and he placed one of his hands to the side of his lover's head; palming his cheek. Ciel gripped the base of the leaking member, holding it upright as he positioned his open mouth over the tip. Red eyes were wide with lust and blue ones met the gaze, not looking away as a small pink tongue slipped from plump lips and flattened against the bulbous head.

"Ahh, God," Sebastian moaned, throwing his head back and closing his eyes. Ciel took a curious lick at the slit and tasted the bitter fluid it produced, making a face. It definitely wasn't good, but it also wasn't the worst thing the young man had ever tasted and the reaction it garnered from his boss made the unpleasant flavor bearable. Listening to the groans over his head, Ciel closed his eyes and began to suck on the tip, swirling his tongue around the organ and then sucking.

"Ciel . . . just like that" Sebastian panted, twirling all his fingers into the soft hair, his clothed thighs pressing near his lover's ears, "Jesus . . . ahhh." Ciel was so turned on by the sounds coming from his boss's lips, that he ignored his own aching need between his thighs for want of giving pleasure to the man above him.

Widening his jaw, he slid as much of the long member into his mouth as he could manage, even with his mouth full, Ciel was still a good inch or two from the base. Not one to give up, Ciel relaxed his throat muscles and let the large head move down, touching the back of his throat.

"Fuck . . . Ciel!" Sebastian cried out at the feeling of being deep throated and he instinctively bucked his hips up, forcing even more of his large cock into his lover's mouth. "Ahhh . . . don't . . . you have . . . a gag . . .Nnnnahh," Sebastian panted as Ciel swallowed around the large head, the muscles constricting and pleasure racing through his lover's body. The young man continued his ministrations of sucking and licking, feeling the heavy pulse under his tongue.

If Ciel could smile, he would be, as his partner pulled on his hair and thrust strongly into the small mouth. He could feel Sebastian's member started to throb between his lips and Ciel knew he was close to finding his release. Sucking harder and humming, he was determined to push his boss over the edge.

"Ciel . . . Ciel," Sebastian cried, "I can't . . . m-move your head," his large hands trying to pull Ciel's mouth away from his impending orgasm, but the young man resisted and it was too late, a final hard thrust and hot thick liquid oozed down the back of his throat. He gagged slightly at the sensation and the smell of cum filled nose, but Ciel willed himself to keep swallowing, eyes shut tight as the thick cock started to pulsate slowly and the thrusts from Sebastian's hips became weaker.

Ciel looked up, letting the soft cock pop from his mouth and took in the sight of his spent boss. Jet black bangs were matted to a sweaty forehead as breathy pants left pink lips. Long slender fingers caressed the wet slate locks on the head between his thighs as the young man cautiously placed the cleaned up cock back into the boxers. At the feeling, Sebastian opened his eyes, hazy from his intense climax and he smiled at his lover.

Ciel sat back on his knees, "How was it?" his blue eyes bright and nervous, nibbling on his lower lip. His jaw felt somewhat sore from being in the odd position and he rubbed the side of it to relieve the ache a bit.

Sebastian sighed and pulled Ciel up to his chest, wrapping his strong arms around the smaller body. Placing his mouth next to the young man's ear, "That was amazing. Absolutely perfect," kissing the top of the soft hair and inhaling deeply.

Ciel snuggled into the warm chest, happy and content at how the evening had turned out; falling asleep in the comfortable, secure grip of the most precious person in the world to him.

* * *

Alois watched as lazy smoke rings hovered above his head, icy blue eyes followed them as they floated up from his lips and dissipated into the air. Sighing in delight, the blonde passed the cigarette to the London VP lying next to him in bed. He was tired, spent from fucking like ravenous animals for the past couple of hours in a suite at The Plaza again, but he was happy and content being here with his stoic partner.

Humming to his iPod playing  _Pumped Up Kicks_  in the background, the young man turned his head to watch as Claude took a long drag off the stick, exhaling the smoke slowly; eyes closed, obviously enjoying the nicotine rush. Feeling that he was being watched, Claude turned his golden orbs to his partner, "Is there something you want? You still can't be hungry after all that." a smirk graced the older man's face as the blonde smiled and blushed. "Or maybe I didn't do a thorough enough job before, hmm?" the VP mused out loud, raising an eyebrow.

Alois giggled, "Oh no, baby," running his fingertips lightly over the VP's bare sweaty chest, "You were amazing, you always are." Leaning into the crook of Claude's neck, the blonde gave a quick kiss and suck to his partner's earlobe before settling his head onto the broad shoulder. A large hand reached up gently stroked along the thin arm now encircling the VP's taut waist.

"Mmm, I aim to please, chorus boy," the man murmured into the soft fair locks. "It's too bad I have to go back to London so soon." Claude declared, earning an annoyed whine from Alois.

Pouting and looking up, "I don't understand why you just stay here for Christmas." his blue eyes pleading, "Can't you stay an extra day?"

The executive smiled softly and placed a light kiss to the adorable forehead, "I would, but I have a meeting with the CEO the following day and I can get plenty of work done on the holiday with no one around to bother me." The blonde huffed and flopped onto his back, frowning. The older male sighed and reached over to put his glasses back on, having them fit snuggly on the bridge of his nose, he stared up at the ceiling.

"So, what is the story with Michaelis and his assistant? Are they shagging yet?" Claude asked smoothly, glancing over at the shocked expression on the Alois's face. "Oh, come on! There's something going on there and you know it." the VP pressed, turning to his side, putting the full intensity of his gaze on his partner.

Alois averted his eyes and swallowed nervously, conflicted. He knew that Ciel and Sebastian's relationship was supposed to stay private, but this was Claude asking, Sebastian's colleague, and he wouldn't want to hurt him, right? Coming to a decision, "Yes, they're together, but" pressing a small index finger against his partner's lips, "it's a secret so you can't tell anybody." The blonde giggled as a sly smile spread over the VP's face.

"Of course, it is." Claude affirmed slowly, his smile turning malicious, "We wouldn't want that to get out, now would we?" Alois nodded emphatically at the statement, not picking up on the underlying tone.

"Why do you want to know, anyways?" the blonde asked innocently, his eyes wide with sincerity.

"Because," the VP stated, getting out of the bed and wrapping a sheet around his naked hips, "knowledge is power and if there is one thing I love more than a nice fat cock, it is power." Long legs strode across the room to grab another cigarette, placing it between his lips and lighting the stick. "And I plan to be very, very powerful one day." The VP turned around, his golden eyes glowing viciously as he made his way back to the bed, settling down again next to his partner.

"But aren't you already very powerful?" Alois furrowed his brow in confusion, "I mean, you're vice president, what else is there?" Claude let out a loud laugh at the simple statement.

Cupping the blonde's cheek in his palm, "You're so naïve sometimes; I do so enjoy that about you, Alois." The backhanded compliment making the young man blush, "There is always something bigger and better. One day, the CEO will have to step down and he will have to choose his replacement, and when he does, I want to make sure that I will be his successor." A proud smirk graced the older man's face and he released the blonde to roll back and stare at the ceiling again. Dark golden eyes calculating as he muttered quietly to himself, "And nobody, not even Sebastian Michaelis will get in my way of that happening."


	10. Chapter 10

Ciel sat on his couch, watching CNN while sipping coffee, the sound of Sebastian taking a shower in the background. His eyes glanced up from the screen as he heard a key slip into the lock of the front door, opening it to produce a bedraggled, but content looking Alois. His roommate was still wearing the young man's suit from the night before, albeit wrinkled and stained now with only God knows what.

"Morning, Sunshine!" the blond chirped, walking over to plop himself down on the couch, sighing happily, "And how was your evening, may I ask?" Icy blue eyes shined behind fluttering lashes as Alois grinned widely at his roommate who was still arching his eyebrow skeptically at the exuberant male.

"Fine," Ciel answered slowly, glancing down at his suit, "You know, you had better get that dry cleaned before you give it back to me." The assistant gingerly flicked at the charcoal material of his borrowed clothing, "I don't even want to think about where it's been or what you did in it last night. "

Alois smirked. "Fine, I won't tell you then," he said in a playful tone, "Wouldn't want to ruin your virgin ears with all the horny details." Ciel grimaced at the comment and looked back to the television, before Alois perked up in his seat. "Wait! What's that I hear?" the blonde cupped a hand around the shell of his ear, as if trying to listen to some distant sound, "Is that, is that running water?" Feigning a look of shock, "Did you have a male suitor here last night?" Alois giggled as his roommate gave him an annoyed look.

"Yes," Ciel started cautiously, "what of it?" The blonde gave his roommate a knowing look and just shook his head, letting out a sigh of disappointment. "What? What is it, Alois? What am I doing wrong now?" the assistant was not in the mood to play 20 questions his roommate this morning. He was still thinking about what Sebastian had told him about his past the night before and it was putting Ciel in a foul mood.

"Everything, my dear, sweet boy," Alois explained, sadly patting his friend on the shoulder, before Ciel motioned with his hand for him to elaborate. "You are sitting out here, while there is a fine specimen of man getting all soapy and wet in your bathroom just a few feet away." the blonde wiggled his eyebrows as his friend's shocked face. "He's probably in their right now, hand on his massive cock, stroking it, moaning your name," leaning back and sighing, "and yet, here you are, hanging out with Wolf Biltzer instead lending a helping hand to a man in need. It's sad, really." Another smirk spread over his face and Ciel narrowed his eyes and hissed at his roommate.

"I really hate you sometimes." Ciel muttered, knowing full well that Alois was right, but also knowing that he didn't have same sexual experience as his friend to even consider doing something that like that. Shyly looking over, "How would you do that anyways? In the shower, I mean?" Ciel's face was burning bright red from his question and even more so from having to inquire about it in the first place.

"Well," Alois sat back, and finger tapping his chin, lips pursed together as if he were thinking hard, "it really has to do with the mechanics. You have a small space in which to work in so any movement you make has to count. Same premise like when you fuck in an airplane bathroom." Ciel's eyes popped wide open in shock, his mouth ajar.

"You've done that?" he breathed, the blonde turned his head to look at his roommate's incredulous expression.

"The mile high club? Nope, can't say that I have." Alois shook his head and pouted, "Never been on a plane so I haven't had the chance, but I imagine that the small confines would limit your options." Ciel scooted a bit closer and leaned in, his eyes still large with curiosity.

"What kind of options?" Ciel hurriedly asked, his heart pounding with anticipation for any kind of knowledge that would help him look less awkward in front of Sebastian.

Alois giggled, "Well, a hand job would be your best bet, no need to get on your knees for that. Or you could just finger fuck, but you'd have to watch your elbows." Stopping to think for moment, "But then where would you put your leg? Really, that's not a great option now that I think about it," the blonde stated matter of factly, before noticing the astonished look on his roommate's face, "What?"

Ciel nibbled on his lower lip, timidly asking, "What's finger fucking?" he glanced away, self-conscious again at his questions.

"Are you telling me that Sebastian still hasn't still fucked you, yet? Geez, Ciel, really, what the hell are you waiting for?" Alois stared with wide icy blue eyes, making his roommate blush even more. "I'll take that as a yes," the blonde snickered his smirk growing wider; "I think you should ask Sebastian about what that is, or there's always the internet."

"Ask Sebastian about what?" a deep voice questioned causing both young males to turn their heads in the direction of the sound. The VP walked towards the couch with only a fluffy white towel wrapped around his toned waist, hanging low enough to see the defined lines of his hip bones. Ciel and Alois swallowed hard, drinking in the sculpted chest and ebony locks that still glistened from the fresh shower.

Alois elbowed his roommate in the chest, causing Ciel to grunt. "See," he hissed, "you should have gone in there, moron." The blonde rose from the couch, winking at the half naked man in his living room before disappearing into his room and shutting the door.

"He really is an odd one, isn't he?" Sebastian mused as he smirked at his flustered assistant. "Now, what is it you were supposed to ask me about?" The VP grinned as Ciel's face grew even redder. The young man, shaking his head, got up and went into his room to get his boss's clothing from the night before.

"Nothing," he mumbled, back turned to the incredibly attractive man behind him, "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Ciel jumped a little, but relaxed as he felt strong arms wrapped around his waist, his back being pressed flush against the moist, hot bare chest.

Sebastian leaned down, whispering, "It's ok, you can ask me later." Licking the shell of his partner's ear, a soft moan slipping from Ciel's lips as he closed his eyes and let his body be cradled by Sebastian's. Releasing the young man, the VP reached for his clothes, "I need to get going anyways," a small whine of protest coming from Ciel, making Sebastian chuckle, "Don't worry, you'll see me again. What are you doing for Christmas?"

Ciel turned around, watching the older male put on his outfit, "Um, I don't have anything planned, right now. I'm not going home so I guess I'll just hang out here and drink with Alois. You?" The young man glanced up to see the disapproving look on his boss's face after having heard his plans.

"I have a better idea," the VP knotting his tie into a perfect Windsor, "I'm not doing anything, except working from home. Why don't you and Alois come over on Christmas Eve in the evening?" he slipped his suit jacket on and grabbed his watch off the nightstand, "We can order Chinese and watch really bad holiday movies."

Ciel smiled and placed his palms flat on the lapels of Sebastian's jacket, "Really? You don't mind having Alois over too?" Nibbling his lower lip, the young man tilted his head back to stare up his lover's sincere grin.

"No, I don't mind; wouldn't have offered if I did." Long fingers cupped the young man's chin to keep him from looking away, "I'm not sharing a bed with him though, that's what the guest room is for," pressing a quick kiss to the plump lips, "But you on the other hand, can share my bed with me anytime." he whispered seductively, sending chills up Ciel's spine.

The assistant blushed furiously at the comment, causing Sebastian to chuckle. "Ok," Ciel confirmed, hugging the warm form closer, shutting his eyes and sighing in contentment; mind imagining spending the holiday together. Ciel's eyes suddenly flew wide as another thought occurred to him,  _Oh crap! What the fuck am I going to give Sebastian for Christmas?_

* * *

"This is soooo much better than sitting at home and watching basic cable on Christmas," Alois exclaimed before shoving another cookie into his already full mouth. "Thanks so much for the invite, Sebastian!" The VP nodded and smiled, one arm around Ciel's shoulders on the couch opposite the blonde as the trio watched  _Elf_ on Blu-ray.

The two males had showed up at Sebastian's condo around 7 pm on Christmas Eve and had set about baking cookies and drinking bourbon spiked eggnog since then. It was now almost 11 pm and the three had just finished eating the Chinese take-out. Ciel nibbled on the edge of a gingerbread star, his blue eyes flitting nervously from the screen to Sebastian's calm face.

The assistant had wracked his brain the past few days trying to think of what to get Sebastian for Christmas, but came up with nothing. There wasn't anything he could buy the wealthy man that the VP couldn't already have gotten for himself and the idea of making something was just out of the question since Ciel's art skills were less than stellar. After much hemming and hawing, the young man had fallen upon an idea, the one thing he could give his boss that nobody else could. A slight blush appeared on his cheeks as he thought about the present, which accounted for his nervous behavior as the young man waited for the right time and place to give it to Sebastian.

Alois yawned and stretched out on the couch, he had insisted on wearing blue Star Wars footie pajamas while watching the movie. Ciel didn't even want to start to think about where one would get nightwear like that in an adult size and if there had been anybody else in the room other than Sebastian, the young man would have wanted to die of embarrassment, but as it was, the VP seemed to find the blonde's eccentric behavior somewhat entertaining. The credits began to roll over the screen and Alois stood up, rubbing his stomach.

"So what now?" he grinned widely, light blue eyes sparkling at the couple cuddling together across from him. "We doing anything else, or do you want some alone time with your man, Ciel?" the blonde wiggled his eyebrows at his blushing friend. Sebastian smirked and shot his assistant a sexy look.

"I, um, I think I'll take a shower," Ciel peeped, getting up to go the master bathroom, doing his best to hide his flustered expression.

"Follow me, Alois. I will show you to the guest room and where everything is," Sebastian stated, motioning with is hand for the blonde to follow him down the hall opposite the master bedroom. The blonde skipped behind the VP and into the guest room; it was smaller than Sebastian's, but still larger than what Alois had in the apartment. Decorated in the same scheme as the rest of the condo, one wall was made entirely of glass windows with an amazing view of the city. "The bathroom is in here," the older man, leaned into a dark doorway to flip the light on inside.

Alois stepped into the large marble lined walls and nodded approvingly, "This will do, I guess," he confirmed nonchalantly, turning around to flash a big grin at Sebastian. Leaning against the sink and eyeing the claw foot tub in the corner, "So, what are you two going to do now?" the blonde pried.

"Whatever Ciel, wants, I suppose," Sebastian answered, arms crossed under his chest, then narrowing his ruby eyes, "Do you know what it was that he wanted to ask me the other day? When I came out of the shower, he seemed a bit self-conscious."

"Oh, that!" Alois exclaimed, eyes shining wickedly, "I'm sure he'll bring it up to you sooner or later." Sebastian frowned at the cryptic response before the blonde's face became serious, "Listen, Sebastian. Be careful with him, I mean, not just physically, but emotionally too. Ciel may act like he's made of stone, but he's not."

Cocking his head to the side, "And you think I am? That I am incapable of having feelings for someone, I mean?" Sebastian's eyes glowed darkly at the insinuation.

The blonde shrank back a bit from the stare, but continued, "No, that's not it. But Ciel told me about how you deal with being gay, all secret and shit, and this is all new to him; again, not just the physical, but the emotional stuff too." Alois pushed himself off the ledge to close the gap between the two them, looking up into Sebastian's eyes, "If you're just in this for a good fuck, then please, leave him alone and let him be with someone who can love him back the way he loves you."

Sebastian took a sharp intake of air as the blonde's words seemed to hang in the air. Any other time, the VP would have curtly retorted such an insinuation, but all he could think of was what Alois had just said, that Ciel was in love with him. So, instead of making a snide comment about how Alois should mind his own business and to not tell him what he should be doing, Sebastian just nodded.

The blonde smiled and giggled, "Good," then twirling around and walking toward the bathtub, "I think I will take a bath, you are dismissed, good sir."

Sebastian left the bi-polar young man to do as he pleased in the bathroom, his thoughts swimming with the new information he had just received.

* * *

_Ok, breathe, just breath. You can do this, Ciel. You can seduce Sebastian._ Ciel thought as he paced around the master bedroom, wringing his hands, hoping to calm his nerves.  _It's gonna hurt probably, but that doesn't matter, cuz this is for Sebastian. He'll be really happy with this idea, I know he will._ The assistant came to a sudden stop, his eyes widening with a new thought,  _but what if I do I can't do it right? What if that totally turns him off?_ Ciel shook his head to remove the insecure thoughts from him mind; he'd done a Google search after Sebastian left the other morning and he now knew what finger fucking was and how to be prepped for anal sex. He was ready for this, he was sure of it.

The sound of door being opened, made the young man jump, blue orbs landing on his boss walking in; the only light coming from the illumination of the city through the windows, casting a dusky look throughout the room. Ciel swallowed nervously, lifting his chin high in an attempt to look more confident. Sebastian smiled softly and made his way over to the bed side, where Ciel stood with one hand on his hip, the other rubbing his crooked arm nervously.

"I thought you wanted to take shower," Sebastian pointed out smoothly, "that was a while ago, wasn't it?" he teased, crimson eyes dancing.

"I did," Ciel managed to say in an even tone, then placing a palm on the older male's chest and leaning in, "But I thought maybe you would want to join me." The young man looked up to lock eyes with his partner, his mouth having gone dry from the deep breaths he had been forcing himself to take.

Sebastian smirked and whispered into Ciel's ear, "I'm not dirty, so why should I shower right now?" His hot breath made Ciel shiver and he almost lost his nerve at trying so hard, but refusing to be deterred, he pressed on.

Entangling his arms around Sebastian's neck and pushing his body against the broad chest, "I can change that." he whispered before pressing a heavy kiss onto his partner's lips. Ciel rolled his hips against the VP's erection and he groaned at the motion, Sebastian's hands gripped the back of Ciel's shirt smashing their bodies together.

Tongues rolled over each other and Ciel moaned quietly into Sebastian's mouth, allowing his partner to dominate the kiss. The assistant let his fingers trail down the VP's body and landed on his hard arousal with his palm; rubbing against the mass and making his partner push his hips further into the touch.

"Nnnmmh, Ciel," he breathed hotly, running a large hand down the small back to cup and squeeze the young man's rump. Ciel jerked slightly at the action, his rigid member digging into Sebastian's thigh.

Ceil broke the kiss to catch his breath and Sebastian eyed his partner curiously as the young man grabbed his hand, lifting it to his plump wet lips. Never breaking eye contact, the VP's eyes grew wide as the young man slipped two fingers gently into his mouth and began to suck, his tongue lapping around the long digits.

Low growls sounded from Sebastian's throat as he watched the seductive display; bright blue eyes heavy with lust and want, mouth pursed, light slurping noises coming from pink lips. The VP released a heavy breath and it took all his willpower to pull his hand back, fingers dropping out of Ciel's mouth with a low pop.

"Ciel, what do you think you're doing?" Sebastian asked quietly and seriously, a confused look on the young man's face.

Licking his lips nervously, "I'm getting myself ready." Ciel confessed, beginning to wonder if he was doing it wrong.

Sebastian, placed both his hands on the sides of his lover's face, forcing the young man to look at him, "Ready for what exactly?" his voice was calm, crimson eyes searching the perplexed blue irises.

"F-for sex." Ciel forced out, doing his best not to lose his nerve, "For you. We're going to fuck tonight, right? I'm giving myself to you." His sapphire eyes burned bright at the admission, not caring if he sounded like an inexperienced virgin anymore, the young man had planned on saying this to his boss anyways, just not in such an awkward fashion.

The VP caressed small circles with his thumbs over the pale cheeks and sighed, "No, Ciel. I am not going to fuck you tonight." Seeing the look of rejection start to dawn over his assistant's face, he explained, "I don't want to fuck you." Sebastian closed his eyes and placed a soft kiss on the shocked young man's forehead, "You may believe you are ready for this, but I don't think so."

Ciel pushed himself out of the embrace, turning his head away to hide the embarrassment written all over his face. He had been rejected, Sebastian didn't want him. He had thrown himself at his superior and was brutally rebuffed. Ciel bit down on his lower lip hard to keep the stubborn tears from coming.  _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ he yelled at himself,  _you idiot!_ Sebastian made a move to hold his assistant, but Ciel raised a palm to ward him off, pushing against the strong chest and stopping his partner where he stood.

"Ciel?" Sebastian asked, concerned, "Ciel, what's wrong?" All the pent up emotions were too much for the young man; boiling over with disappointment, he whipped his head around to glare at the VP.

"What's wrong?" he cried out, "What do you think is wrong? I just threw myself at you, offered you my virginity and you don't want me." Ciel's body visibly shook in anger, his fists clenched closely at his sides, eyes watering with restrained tears. "What were the words, exactly? I don't want to fuck you?" the question spat in a venomous tone.

Taken aback, Sebastian attempted embrace the quivering male again, but was stopped by the angry look on the young man's face. Changing tactics, the VP switched to a logical explanation for his words, "That's not something you should just give away, Ciel. Your first time like that should be with someone who can make it special for you." His was voice even, but slightly hoarse with some emotion Ciel had never heard him use before.

"And what, you're not special enough? That you're not the person I want to have me? That I don't feel enough for you to want to be that way with you?" Ciel screamed, but stopped instantly as he realized something. Slowly, he thought out loud, "It's not that I don't care enough about you, it's the other way around, isn't it?" Ciel raised his eyes to watch Sebastian's red orbs avert his gaze, seemingly confirming the young man's theory. The young man felt his heart drop out of his chest, his lungs squeezing the air out of his body, his worst fears recognized.

Looking at the carpet, Ciel began to shuffle his feet in the direction of the door, "Well, I guess I should just go home then. I'll go get Alois and get out of your way." The finality in his quiet voice was heart breaking and Sebastian grabbed the young man's arm before he could go any further.

"No, no, wait," the VP stood himself in front of his assistant, gripping both of the slender biceps with his large hands, red eyes searching the dejected face, "It's not that I don't care. I do, Ciel, very much so." Sebastian took a deep unsteady breath, the young man looking up to see the shaken executive, "It's just," he ran a hand through his black bangs tensely, "I want to make love to you when the time is right and I'm just not there yet, Ciel. I want to be, but it is taking me some time."

Ciel looked up to see sincerity burning in crimson eyes, "I know that you think that I'm experienced, that I have all the answers, and that I've been through all this before, but it's not true. Nothing is the same when it comes to you." The young man sucked in a deep breath as Sebastian continued to plead, "Please don't go. I will get to that place, I promise, but until then, I just don't want to take anything from you till I'm ready to give back what you deserve." Ciel's jaw dropped at the comment, feeling like an absolute idiot for his actions just now. Sebastian hadn't rejected him and he was the biggest moron in the world for not seeing his reasons for it in the first place.

Ciel nodded and now accepted the strong arms that entwined around his waist, squeezing his eyes shut and inhaling the strong scent of Sebastian while he nuzzled the older man's neck. "I'm sorry about before," the young man breathed out, "I thought you didn't want me." Sebastian pulled his assistant back to gaze into his blue eyes.

"How could I not want you, Ciel?" the VP soothed, brushing some of the slate blue bangs out of the beautiful face, "I've never wanted anything more in my entire life." He leaned in and placed a soft kiss to the pink lips, gently molding them to his. The statement made Ciel's chest feel like it would burst from happiness and he eagerly kissed back, twirling his fingers through ebony strands, welcoming the feel of Sebastian's hold on his body.

Ciel whimpered as Sebastian sucked on his earlobe and shivered when the hot tongue ran over the edge of his jawline, "Mmm, ahhh," he breathed into his superior's neck.

"You cold?" Sebastian murmured into the young man's collarbone, earning a slight yelp as he bit into it lightly. "You still have haven't had your shower yet," the older male mumbled against the delicate skin. Ciel shook his head and tightened his grip on the broad shoulders, signaling that he didn't care about the shower anymore. The action made Sebastian chuckle, pulling away from his obsession manifested. "Come on," he coaxed, his large fingers lacing around the small wrist, leading its owner to the master bath, "a hot shower will relax both of us after all this drama."

Although disappointed at the interruption, Ciel followed the older man into expansive marble bathroom. The coloring was similar to the guest bath, ivory marble and golden fixtures, but this one was much bigger, with a large deep tub that could hold about six people and walk-in shower with a glass partition instead of a door or curtain. The young man grinned at the prospect of a hot shower with his lover.

Sebastian turned around and promptly reached to the hem of Ciel's long sleeved shirt, pulling it over the slate head in one swift move. His ruby orbs skimmed over the lean body of his lover, long fingers grazing over the waist band of the young man's jeans, making Ciel shiver again. Sebastian laughed and leaned into plant a kiss on the soft lips when a buzzing sound caught his attention.

"What?" Ciel pouted, when the VP halted his advances and rolled his eyes in annoyance at the sound.

"It's my blackberry," the answer did not seem to sit well with his lover, "I have to go get that. You get in the shower and I'll be along in a few minutes." He placed a light kiss on the annoyed forehead before taking long strides out of the room.

Ciel sighed and pulled off the rest of his clothing. Stepping into the giant shower, he turned the water onto a high temperature and stood under the waterfall showerhead; the hot water cascading over his naked form as he faced the wall. The young man closed his eyes and hummed happily as his hair became soaked and all his limbs radiated warmth from the droplets of heat.

The assistant squeaked with surprise when he felt strong fingers take purchase of the tendons of his shoulders and start to rub. Ciel moaned as Sebastian's thumbs kneaded at a knot in his upper back.

"Who was that?" Ciel inquired, eyes still closed, enjoying his massage.

"The CEO." Sebastian answered in the tone he usually used in the office, "He wants me to come to London next week over New Year's." His hands dropped as Ciel whirled around, his eyes wide with protest.

"You won't be here for New Year's?" the assistant whined, "Who am I supposed to kiss at midnight?" Ciel knew he sounded like a petulant child at the moment, but the evening had been an emotional rollercoaster from the very beginning.

Sebastian leaned in, winking, "You can call me and I will keep you occupied at midnight." Ciel let out an irritated huff and the VP gently turned his assistant around so he was facing the wall again and his back was to his boss. Reaching up to the shelf, Sebastian grabbed a bottle of shampoo and squeezed some into his palms.

"What kind of asshole calls you on Christmas Eve to tell you that anyways?" the assistant grumbled, humming with delight as his boss's fingers began to lather the foamy fragrant mixture into his scalp.

"That kind of asshole," Sebastian explained, "The CEO doesn't really care about your personal time." He reached over to grab a bottle of conditioner and repeated the same process on the slate locks.

"Really?" Ciel was now intrigued, nobody ever really talked about the CEO of FPE in the office and Wikipedia had not been very helpful either. "What's he like?" He tipped his head back as Sebastian began to running clean water through his strands.

"Mr. Funtom is a powerful man, very private," the older male mused, "Attractive, but very cold almost like he's missing the gene for empathy. A real demon of a man." Ciel spun around on his heel, looking his lover in the eyes.

"So you think he's attractive?" the young man cocked his head to the side, curious.

Sebastian smirked, "If you like tall, dark and handsome minus the soul, then yes, I guess he is." His eyes delighted at the barely concealed look of jealousy over his assistant's face. Ciel pursed his lips at the answer, making his lover pinch the bridge of his nose, "Let's change the subject. Thinking about my superior does absolutely nothing for my erection." He smiled as Ciel glanced down to the semi-hard member; the young man nodding and grinning in agreement.

The VP stepped forward, using one hand to push his assistant's back up against the wall; Ciel shuddered as his bare back met the cold marble. "So, you still never told me what you wanted to ask me about the other day." Sebastian grinned wickedly, his fingers tracing over the young male's collarbone. "Let me guess, did it have something to do with this?" he brought up his hand and splayed his wiggling fingers out in the air. Ciel felt the heat rise in his face and he hoped that his lover would mistake it as an effect from the hot shower; nibbling on his lower lip, he nodded. "Well then, let me satisfy that curious mind of yours, Ciel Phantomhive."

Before it registered, Ciel was twirled around and his hips pulled out from beneath him so that he was at a 90 degree angle with the wall; his palms placed flat against the slick marble, head facing the ground. He felt Sebastian grip his hips from behind and rub circles into them with his thumbs, hot water continued to pour onto his flat back. The young man craned his neck over his shoulder to get a better look at what was happening, but quickly dropped it back down when his lover moved a hand in between his round cheeks and gently pressed a finger against his virgin entrance.

"Ahhh," Ceil breathed out, the feeling strange and foreign, but not unwelcome. Sebastian nudged the slim thighs further apart with his hips; pressing his entire hard length onto the entrance, grinding slowly. The motion and friction causing low moans to come from both partners. Ciel panted slightly and instinctively arched his backed, pushing his ass out and spreading his cheeks apart more, the eager sight eliciting a low growl from his lover's throat.

"Are you ready?" Sebastian asked, his wet fingers, gently brushing against the twitching hole. "This will hurt at first, but it will get better, I promise," he coaxed, before placing slender fingers into his mouth to suck. Ciel grunted in response, shutting his eyes tight and waiting for the onslaught of discomfort.

"Seba . . Gahh!" Ciel cried out as a slick index finger pushed into his tight orifice. The young man tried to slow down his breathing and concentrate of the fact that Sebastian had promised him that this would get better. The long digit pressed deeper into the clenching muscle and after a few minutes, the young man had grown accustomed to the strange sensation.

After a few minutes, "You can do another." Ciel permitted, gritting his teeth as another finger made its way past the tight muscle, causing more pressure. "God . . .damn!" the young man panted, his ass stinging a bit from the intrusion. Sebastian shushed him from behind, placing his palm onto his lover's lower back and rubbing in hopes to relieve some of the pain.

"Just give it a moment," Sebastian encouraged, pressing all the way into the hole until he was knuckle deep in the firm ass.

Ciel gasped and couldn't help feeling like his lover was searching for something by the way Sebastian's fingers separated in his body and wiggled around, creating more space and pressure in his cavity. As his boss poked inside him, the young man glanced over his shoulder again, "What are you . . . FUCK!" he screamed as his lover's finger tips brushed over a bundle of nerves. The pleasurable sensation jolted through Ciel's body like lightening and he panted heavily, leaning his face against one of his outstretched arms.

Sebastian smirked, "Ahh, there it is." He crooned as he poked at the area again, sending Ciel into other screaming mess.

"Seb-ba . . . wha . . .Godda-aaaahhh!" Ciel shrieked, pushing his hips back against the long fingers, Sebastian pulsated them in and out in a rhythmic motion, causing his lover to moan lewdly every few moments. Ciel could feel his release building quickly, his member throbbing with the need to climax. He wanted to grab it and jerk himself into satisfying oblivion, but he couldn't take his hands of the wall, he was using them to support his body. The young man went to the next course of action, through his hazy mind he pleaded, "Seba . . . plea . . . my dick." Ciel moaned, barely getting the words out through his ragged breathing.

Sebastian reached down and wrapped his long fingers around the hard shaft, making Ciel moan loudly and buck his hips into the wet palm. The older male quickly stroked the aching length in tandem with his thrusts onto his lover's prostate, Ciel feeling like he might blackout from ecstasy.

"Oh God! I . . . can . .. FUCK!" Ciel shouted out as he came hard, his cum shooting onto the marble tile and then quickly washing away down the drain. He leaned all his weight against the wall, knees feeling weak and wobbly. Sebastian slid his fingers out and proceeded to clean them with some nearby body wash before wrapping an arm around his partner's heaving waist to help support him.

"You seemed to enjoy that," the VP's silky voice teased in his lover's ear. Ciel let his head roll back onto Sebastian's shoulder, nodding in affirmation, his breathing still coming out irregular. When he finally felt like he could stand on his own two feet, Ciel turned around to face his lover.

"That was so intense," his blue eyes watching the self-satisfied smirk of his boss, "It did hurt some, though." Ciel added quickly and quietly.

Sebastian chuckled, "That hurt? That was only two fingers, Ciel." His lover opened his mouth to protest, but he continued, "And to think, you wanted to have this in you tonight?" His assistant's eyes followed the motion of his hand down to his boss's still erect member, much thicker and longer than two fingers could ever be. Shame washed over Ciel as he realized that Sebastian had put off his own pleasure again to ensure that he could be tended to first.

Stepping forward, Ciel reached down and wrapped his fingers around the massive length, his lover eyeing him cautiously, "You don't have to do this now, Ciel. I'm fine." His assistant gave his boss a resolute look.

"We're not in the office right now, so you don't get to tell me what to do." Ciel stated curtly, before dropping to his knees, the hot water still pounding down. The young man sat back on his hunches and positioned the erection straight out; glancing up at his lover before engulfing the entire length into his hot mouth.

"Ahhh," Sebastian moaned, his eyes shutting and head falling back. His hands tangled into the wet slate hair and Ciel removed his hands to grasp onto his lover's wet hips, fingertips digging into the soft flesh. The older male let Ciel's head bob up and down on his cock for a bit, before holding it in place, "Don't move your head," Sebastian breathed, "I want to fuck your mouth." The lustful tone making the young male comply and he let his lover thrust into his mouth.

Sebastian moaned and thrust his fat cock over Ciel's soft tongue, groaning every time the sensitive mass rubbed against the flattened muscle. "God . . . your mouth," he moaned, fisting hard into his lover's hair. Ciel's jaw was starting to get sore, but he ignored the pain in favor of pleasuring his lover.

Soon, the thrusts came at an erratic pace, Sebastian's breathing labored and Ciel could tell he was close. The young man opened his mouth a little more, but tightened the back of his throat, the constricting feeling driving Sebastian insane, "Jesus, fucking, Christ!" his lover cried out as the bulbous head pushed past Ciel's tongue and deep into his throat. Ciel tried not to gag as Sebastian came, his warm load too much to swallow and the young man coughed, some of the semen leaking out the side of his mouth and down his chin.

Ciel stayed on his knees, swallowing the remnants of his lover's orgasm until Sebastian pulled his now flaccid cock from his mouth. Reaching down, the older male lifted his lover up and hugged him tightly to his body, chest still heaving from his climax, "That was fucking unbelievable." He whispered into Ciel's ear, his lover blushing at the compliment. "How could you ever think that I don't want you?" he moaned passionately into Ciel's neck, nipping lightly at the tendons. Ciel hugged Sebastian tighter as hot water continued to pelt onto their backs.


	11. Chapter 11

Sebastian tapped his fingers impatiently on the armrest of the chair; he had been waiting in FPE's CEO's office for about 20 minutes now. His superior was running late due to traffic, at least that was the excuse given to him by Paula, Mr. Funtom's overly cheerful assistant, but the New York VP knew better. The executive was very aware that the CEO loved to make people have to wait for him; it was how he made his time seem so much more valuable than everyone else's.

The longer Sebastian sat there and dwelled on the fact that he had flown out to London over the holidays to sit and wait in his boss's office, the more annoyed he became. Tired of being sedentary, the executive stood up and walked over to the expansive windows located behind the CEO's large mahogany desk and stared out at the view of downtown London; turning around, Sebastian took a moment to take in the rest of the room.

It was what one would expect of a man as powerful as Mr. Funtom, all the furniture was made from the highest quality wood and leather. The floor to ceiling dark wooden bookshelves were lined with books and various trophies and awards, a small wet bar sat in the corner with crystal cut glasses and decanters filled with what was mostly likely only the best bourbon and spirits. Three chairs were positioned facing the desk, with a full view of the windows and a very intimidating looking high back leather executive's chair. The entire space oozed supremacy and authority, but seemed completely devoid of any sort of human touches.

Sebastian's eyes swept over the desk, walking up to it and tracing his fingertips along the smooth wooden edges. His crimson orbs scanned over various documents, multiple print outs of emails, some contract waiting to be signed; the CEO's monitor had been left on, but the screen was locked, not that Sebastian wanted to go prying around his superior's things anyways. He turned to walk back to his seat, when a frame at the far edge of the desk caught his eye.

Curious, the VP reached out and picked up the photo, it was the only piece in the room that looked as if it hadn't been placed there by a professional interior designer. Sebastian's eyes froze wide in shock and his breath hitched in his throat as he looked at the image.

In the photo was a couple, a man and his pregnant wife, his arm wrapped lovingly around her shoulders and the other placed on her swollen belly. It was clear that the man was Mr. Funtom, a much younger and happier version, but it was very obvious that it was the CEO some years ago. But it wasn't the uncharacteristic expression on his superior's face that had stopped Sebastian in his tracks; instead it was the bright blue eyes of the expecting blonde that had startled him, those bright blue eyes; eyes that you could see someone's soul in, the same eyes as his lover.

Sebastian now knew why the woman in the graduation picture in Ciel's apartment had seemed so familiar to him; he had seen her before in this photo on the CEO's desk. The sound of the office door being opened snapped the VP out of his current state and he watched as Mr. Funtom walked towards him.

"Michaelis," the CEO addressed in an even tone, "I know you don't want to be here over on New Year's Eve, but business does not just stop because one year turns into the next." Vincent Funtom shook hands with his executive and motioned for him to have a seat in front of the desk. The CEO sat down in his leather high back and stared at the VP across from him; fingers steepled under his refined nose.

Sebastian glanced down at the photo still in his hands and then back to his boss. Mr. Funtom was an influential man and his presence and appearance exuded confidence and superiority beginning with his designer three piece dark brown suit that was perfectly tailored to fit his slender physique. He was tall, about the same height as Sebastian and Claude with deep brown eyes; a strong jawline and dark hair that appeared somewhat indigo at times depending on the light, but his good looks were deceiving. For in all the time the VP had been acquainted with the man, he had never seen on single shred of humanity make an appearance, it was as if the CEO were emotionally dead inside.

The VP cleared his throat, "Yes, well, it is not the most opportune time to travel." His crimson eyes narrowed as he watched the CEO for some indication as to why he was here, but the man was not going to give anything away just yet. His gaze landed on the frame in his executive's hands and motioned with his hand to have the item back.

"Lovely picture," Sebastian began, handing the frame back to its owner, "She's very pretty and you look very happy with her. I wasn't aware you were married." The VP searched the poker face across from him, not begin able to read anything in those muddy eyes.

"I'm not," Vincent corrected, placing the picture back into its original spot, "That was a long time ago. She is my ex-wife." There was no hint of any emotion in the CEO's smooth voice, his serious gaze went back to meet Sebastian's.

Not getting the information he wanted, Sebastian continued, "She was pregnant. I didn't know you had children." Such a comment would have made any other man squirm uncomfortably, but not Vincent Funtom. He cocked his head to the side and gave his VP a thoughtful look for a few moments.

"I didn't ask you to come over here just to so you could interrogate me about my past, Michaelis." He explained in an annoyed tone; Sebastian returned sentiment with his eyes.

"Alright then, what is this all about? The New York office? It's doing fine, Sir." Sebastian spoke coolly, his sharp mind ready to fire back answers to any questions the CEO might have. He continued, "The employees are doing well, especially . . ." Vincent interrupted.

"My son?" Sebastian closed his mouth as he watched a wicked smile grow on his boss's face, "Especially, my son. That's good to hear, Michaelis." The VP averted his gaze and fumed internally at the man's reaction, Vincent let out a vicious laugh and Sebastian snapped his eyes back in shock. "Don't look so surprised. I've known since the beginning that he was working in New York, who do think pushed his paperwork from the recruiting firm into your office manager's hands?"

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at his superior, "Why?" he asked slowly, a sick feeling in his stomach knowing that he would not like the answer.

The CEO stood and smoothed down his jacket, walking over gaze out the windows, hands clasped behind him, back facing Sebastian. He sighed, "I left Rachel and Ciel years ago because I realized that I hadn't achieved anything in this life. I was young and ambitious and after my son was born I realized that I needed to do more; something more fulfilling with my life than just raising a child. So, I took the business degree I had earned in college where I met my wife, changed my last name, and went out into the world to create something bigger and better for myself; Funtom Private Equity and I succeeded."

Sebastian just stared in disbelief at the selfish reasoning behind the man for leaving his family. His hands gripped the armrests tightly, knuckles turning white from the pressure, doing anything to keep the anger from boiling over with the urge to choke this man. All the pain and uncertainty he had caused Ciel made the VP see red.

"And now? What's changed?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm getting older," Vincent continued, his tone softening a bit, "And I can't keep running my empire forever, as much as I would like to. So, you can imagine my delight when I found out that Ciel was taking an interest in finance, that my own flesh and blood had the same innate skills that I possess." His face turned away from the windows, a sick smirk on his features, "Someone who I could mold into the perfect successor for my legacy."

"What makes you think he's like you? You've never even met him." The VP spat out, feeling ill at the thought of his lover ever becoming anything like the cold man in front of him.

"If he is anything like me, then he will be more than happy to take up the reins of FPE." The CEO stretched out his arms wide, "This entire company was built by me and if any of my blood runs through his veins he will certainly jump at the opportunity. So that one day, if I judge him to be worthy, this will be his, but that remains to be seen." The tall man walked over Sebastian, leaning forward and placing both hands on the armrests, his face level with his executive's, "And that is where you come in, Michaelis."

Sebastian took a sharp breath, "And what is it that you exactly want me to do, Sir?"

At the close proximity, the VP could see all the physical similarities between Ciel and his father. Ciel's mother was right, he did resemble Vincent, same nose and a few other attributes. However whereas Vincent was jaded and cruel, Ciel was still innocent and loving, traits that Sebastian secretly prayed his lover would never lose, now more than ever.

A harsh smile spread over thin lips, "I want you to bring Ciel here, to London. I want to meet my son." The command seemed sincere enough, until the CEO continued, "I need to see for myself what he is like and not just what Faustus has been telling me." Sebastian inwardly cursed his colleague, he had known Claude had been up to something, "Make up an excuse, I don't care what it is, but just get him here."

Vincent pushed away and made his way back to his desk, sitting down again, picking up some paperwork; effectively ending the conversation. Sebastian stood and stiffly walked to the door, he could not wait to put as much distance between himself and the CEO.

As his hand grasped the doorknob, "Oh, Michaelis?" the VP turned his head to see what his superior wanted, "Ciel is not to know anything about the exchange that took place here today. I want him to find out about his heritage when I deem him fit and ready for it." Sebastian opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off, "You are not to tell him anything, and if you feel so inclined to, I will make it my personal mission to see that you never work in this industry ever again. Is that understood, Michaelis?" Vincent asked, his tone absolute and cold, eyes glittering maliciously.

The VP swallowed hard and nodded before quickly letting himself out, slamming the door shut behind him.

* * *

"You know, that beer is not going to drink itself," Alois pointed out as he leaned over the tabletop at Flaming Saddles, a Coyote Ugly type gay bar and his new employer. He stuck his skin tight jeans clad ass out further and propped his chin on his elbows, "Really, Ciel, what is your issue? You've been down ever since New Year's."

Ciel glanced up at his roommate's concerned face and sighed. He knew that he had been less than fun lately, Sebastian was supposed to have called him on New Year's Eve, but instead of hearing the seductive voice at midnight, the assistant had just received a text message from his boss. But that wasn't the only reason Ciel was depressed, he had hardly heard from his boss at all since he left for London a few days ago, that was unusual behavior for the older male who always seemed to make a point of being in contact with his assistant regardless of the situation.

"I know, I'm sorry." Ciel apologized, frowning, "It's just, I can't help, but feel like there's something going on with Sebastian. I haven't really heard anything from him in a couple of days, I don't know, maybe I did something to upset him." The young male went back to picking at the label of his beer. Alois let out an annoyed sigh at his roommate and rolled his eyes.

"My God, are you even listening to yourself?" The blonde glared at his friend, "You didn't do anything wrong, but have amazing shower sex with the man and then have him tell you that you're worth more than a cheap fuck to him; that he wants to 'make love' to you of all things. " Ciel blushed as he thought back to the story Alois made him retell the day after Christmas, "He's a Vice President for crying out loud, he's probably got a shitload of stuff he needs to do. Geez Ciel, for someone so smart you really are stupid sometimes."

His roommate nodded at the logic, he was being silly and irrational, but the assistant still couldn't shake the odd feeling that something was going with his lover. Ciel smirked and teased, "Wow Alois, that was actually very romantic and introspective of you just now."

"Of course, I'm all about the romance, baby," Alois nodded at the compliment and grinned at two customers that were passing by, unabashedly staring at the blonde's tight ass. "Yeah, boys, you heard that right." he cooed, wiggling his hips and winking, "Save a horse ride a cowboy!"

Ciel smacked his forehead and groaned at the comment while his friend just giggled. And just like that, the sensitive moment was gone and Alois was back to being, well, Alois.

Changing the subject, "Have you heard from Claude lately?" Ciel asked, watching the blonde's playful expression drop down a notch.

Alois shook his head, nibbling on his lower lip and looking away, "Nope, but that doesn't mean anything. He's married and it's not like I have a claim on him like you do Sebastian." Ciel nodded his head sympathetically; he knew that his friend liked the London VP more than he was letting on, but instead of moping around, the blonde just went about his life.

He gave his roommate a small smile and turned around to get more drinks. Ciel continued to sip on his beverage, determined to follow Alois's lead for the time being and try to not be paranoid over Sebastian anymore for the rest of the evening.

* * *

Ciel was filled with excitement the Monday morning after the holidays. He walked into the office and shot a bright smile at Finny who waved back eagerly in response. It had been 5 days since the assistant and seen his boss and he was anxious to spend some time with the man and put the irksome thoughts he'd been having to rest. Sebastian was due to be back in the office today after taking the redeye in from London the evening before and Ciel wanted everything to be ready to make the transition back to the States easier for him.

Dropping his briefcase next to his desk, Ciel sat down Sebastian's Starbucks and logged onto his computer. Any minute now, the VP would come striding through the halls and into his office.

Ciel hummed to himself as his Outlook started up, looking at his watch,  _Huh, he's late,_ the assistant mused, brows furrowing at the unusual action,  _He's never late on Mondays, if anything, he's early_. A bing from his email caused Ciel to look up and click on the latest unopened message; it was from his boss; marked high priority.

'Phantomhive:

I will not be back in the office Monday. I am still in London.

I need you to come to the London office by the end of the week, so book a ticket through the company's travel firm. You know where I am staying, Grange St Paul's Hotel, get yourself a room there as well; bill it all to FPE's account.

There is a project that I need you to assist me with over here and this will give you a good opportunity to see the main office as well as let you become better acquainted with some of the department heads and the CEO.

Email me once all this has been setup and let me have your schedule so that I know when you are arriving. Once you are settled in, please email me for further instructions.

Sincerely;

Sebastian Michaelis, New York Vice President'

Ciel's jaw dropped as he read the message; he was going to London. He had never been outside the continental U.S. and was suddenly very grateful that his mother had made him get a passport his senior year of high school. He thought it was dumb at that time, but, once again, his mother was right.

"What's with the shocked face, Phantomhive?" a gruff voice asked over the assistant's desk. Ciel looked up to see Bard standing in front of him, the same shit-eating grin plastered over his face. "Did you get some junk mail about buying Viagra? I get those all the time, but I have no idea why." The blonde leaned down and winked, "Don't need any of that. No problem in that department." Ciel cringed slightly at the image and Bard let out a loud laugh.

"Um, no," the assistant swallowed, still a bit dazed at the message. "The boss wants me to go to London this week to help him with a project of some sort." Ciel took in the surprised expression on his colleague's face and it was the first time since he had met Bard that the man had nothing to say, "Has that happened before? I mean, the VP's assistant going to the London office?"

Bard shook his head, "Not that I can remember, but then again, nobody's been in this position as long as you, so who knows?" Ciel nodded and glanced back at his screen, "Hey, at least you'll get to see the London office and it's a cool town to visit."

Ciel perked up a bit, "You've been?" Bard nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah, a couple of times. If you like history and shit, it's great, but don't go trying to find a decent tittie bar." Bard arched an eyebrow, "But somehow I get the feeling that's not your sort of thing."

The assistant's face turned bright red at the comment, both from embarrassment and fear from the possibly that the entire office had figured out about his and Sebastian's relationship.

"Why do you say that?" he asked innocently, his wide blue eyes gazing up.

Bard thought for a minute, "You're more of the long term relationship kind of guy, Ciel." The assistant let out a relieved breath and smiled; secret safe. "Don't feel bad about it. Some of us stallions just can't be tamed, if you know what I mean." The blonde winked again and laughed, walking off to his office.

Ciel slumped behind his computer and began an email to the travel agency to setup his itinerary, his mind going a mile a minute as he thought,  _London._

* * *

Air sickness; Ciel had heard of it, but had never had the opportunity to experience it until now. The young man moaned in discomfort as he flopped himself face first onto the bed in his room in the Grange St Paul's Hotel. He silently begged for the nausea to abate from the 7 hour flight from JFK to Heathrow and the 5 hour time difference wasn't helping any either as he rolled onto his back; grabbing his blackberry in the process.

The assistant typed a quick email to his boss, letting him know that he had made it safely and asking him what he should do next. Other than the email from two days ago in the office, Ciel had heard nothing from Sebastian and every day that went by without communication only solidified his theory that something was definitely out of place with the VP. The bing from the blackberry took the young man's attention away from his illness for a moment as he read the contents.

'I am still at the office. Will be back at the hotel later. Stop by my room 13B around 8 pm.

Sebastian Michaelis, New York Vice President'

Ciel dropped the device onto the soft comforter and groaned in relief that he didn't have to be anywhere for a few hours. Hopefully by then, the sickness would have subsided enough for him to function like a normal human being again. He crawled further up the bed and curled into a tight ball, shutting his eyes and willing sleep to take him for the time being.

When Ciel awoke after his nap, he felt much better. He rolled over to see that the clock on the nightstand said 7 pm.  _Thank God,_ he thought,  _just enough time to take a shower and grab a snack._ The young man hauled himself off the bed and went about making himself presentable.

At around 8 pm, Ciel stood outside the door of 13B, hesitant to knock. It had been over a week since he had seen Sebastian and in that time, the young man had become extremely nervous to what kind of situation he was going to be walking into now.

_Please, please, please, be happy to see me,_ he begged silently, his own insecurities driving him crazy. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand to rap against the solid door a few times and then waited for a response.

The door opened and Ciel caught his breath for a moment as he stared at Sebastian, still dressed in his suit from work except that the jacket was gone and the tie was undone, hanging carelessly around his neck. If it was possible, the older male had become even better looking since Christmas. Blue eyes gazed into scarlet orbs and no words passed as the two took in the sight of one another.

Sebastian suddenly reached out and grabbed Ciel's wrist, earning a yelp of surprise from the assistant as he was pulled into the hotel room and then his back pushed up against the now closed door. Ciel closed his eyes in delight as Sebastian wrapped his arms possessively around the small waist, crushing their chests together; the older male's face nuzzling into the crook of his lover's neck.

"God, I missed you," Sebastian breathed against the soft skin, a shiver running through his assistant's body at the emotion in the husky voice. The VP ran the tip of his nose across the young man's jaw, up to his ear and into the slate locks, breathing in deeply, smelling the scent of freshly washed hair. "You have no idea," he purred as he nipped lightly on an earlobe.

Ciel hummed happily at the admission, his fears seemingly laid to rest as his fingers entwined in the soft hair at the nape of Sebastian's neck. "I think I do," he admitted quietly, his breath quickening as he pressed his hips into his lover, feeling the hard length beneath the expensive trousers. Sebastian growled lightly in his throat as he pressed back, his tongue now licking its way down the smooth neck and placing soft bites on Ciel's collarbone.

Ciel purred at the sensation and pulled his lover's head back so he could kiss those pleasurable lips. He found his target and locked Sebastian into a battle of tongues, thrusting his warm muscle into his boss's mouth, rolling it over the other's, moaning softly as Sebastian reciprocated with the same eagerness.

The older male suddenly broke the kiss and stepped away, tugging Ciel by the wrist, forcing him to follow him through the hotel suite into the bedroom.

Sapphire eyes were wide, not knowing what to expect as he entered the master suite, his boss ripping his tie off with his free hand and undoing the buttons on his dress shirt. The VP whirled around and gazed at his assistant with hungry eyes, before reaching down to pull the t-shirt off Ciel and grabbing the slender waist to practically throw the young man on the large bed. Ciel scrambled backwards, pushing his shoes off in the process as Sebastian climbed on top of him, straddling the slender hips with his powerful thighs and dropping his dress shirt on the floor.

Ciel was pressed deep into the comforter as Sebastian attacked his lips, forcefully pushing his tongue deep into the narrow throat, one hand pressing onto the back of the small neck while the other trailed its way over the young male's chest.

The assistant clawed at his lover's back, trying desperately to gain some control and communicate that he needed air, he was starting to get lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. A gagging sound forced the older male to ease up and released his claim on his lover's mouth so they both could gasp for air.

"Wha . . ." Ciel panted heavily, eyes unfocused, as he trembled at the forcefulness with which Sebastian had jumped on him. The VP was usually so composed and restrained with his actions and emotions with his assistant, but it now seemed that he would brutally devour his lover without a second thought.

Sebastian moaned and buried his face into Ciel's neck, licking and sucking, "You, missed you," a soft yelp was heard at an especially hard suck, "So much. You don't know." The older male breathed against the throat, one of his hands reaching up to lace their fingers together above Ciel's head, "Wanted to touch you. Feel you." His free hand skimmed over the waist beneath him, dipping below the waistband of Ciel's jeans and boxers to wrap around the now aroused member. The young male's hips jerked up and he moaned loudly as a warm palm began to pump his shaft slowly.

"God, Sebastian!" he cried, his hips thrusting in time with sensual strokes as his lover ran his tongue over a stiffened nipple, "Ahhh . . . ahhh" Ciel's free hand splayed out on his lover's back.

He could feel the heat pool in his abdomen and knew that he wouldn't be able to last much longer with his lover teasing and stroking him this way. The older male murmured something incoherently into the small chest before pulling his hand out of Ciel's pants and sitting back, gazing at the flushed breathless mess of his lover beneath him.

"You're so beautiful," Sebastian muttered softly, before unbuttoning Ciel's jeans, climbing off the bed to pull them off and then dropping the rest of his own clothing to the carpet. Completely naked, the older male crawled back over his assistant, placing himself between the slender thighs and leaning over, pressing his full body on top of his lover's. Placing soft kisses to the side of Ciel's face, "So perfect," Sebastian cooed and began to roll his own erection over Ciel's weeping one, the action causing his lover to whimper and reach down to grab his ass, grinding them closer together.

The VP scooted down some, allowing his bulbous head to brush past the virgin entrance. Pre-cum smeared over it as Sebastian growled with desire, wanting nothing more than to push the aching head past the tight ring of muscles and into the clenching heat in front of it.

Somewhere in the back of Ciel's mind he processed that his lover was in prime position to enter him and that maybe the reason Sebastian was acting to ruthlessly with his body was because they were going to finally have sex, a thought that excited and terrified him at the same time.

Desperately wanting to feel his lover, Ciel spread his thighs further and tried to push his puckered hole against the waiting head, whining, "Stop teasing." He panted, "Please, Sebastian." He moaned in annoyance as his lover pulled himself over his body again, leaving his entrance alone.

The VP placed light kisses to Ciel's temple, panting heavily, "Not yet, not like this." Ciel huffed, "But, don't worry," Sebastian soothed, his hand trailing down his lover's chest and waist, coming to rest at his hipbone, "I will take care of you." The assistant gasped as the older male's long fingers circled around both their leaking members, pressing them together and stroking firmly.

Ciel dug his fingers into the broad shoulders that hovered over him; he could feel Sebastian's labored breaths as he supported his body with one arm while the other jerked up and down their lengths, pre-cum rubbing over his fingers creating lubrication.

"F-faster," Ciel panted, his neck arching back as his body leaned into the touch. "God . . . Seb-ah," he cried as the pace increased, his lover swiping his thumb over the sensitive slit. "Fuck!" Ciel screamed, his release so close now, he wanted nothing more than to climax in his lover's hands.

Sebastian lowered his head to the young male's ear, "Cum for me, baby," he breathed and Ciel moaned as his came onto Sebastian's abdomen, his seed dribbling down the long fingers while his lover pumped furiously before following suit.

"Fuck, Ciel," the VP groaned as he came and continued to milk their cocks in his hand, a mixture of semen and sweat accumulating at the base. He released his grip when the members softened and rolled over to Ciel's side, lying on his back panting, his sticky hand resting on his equally sticky waist. Red eyes stared vacantly at the ceiling, guilty thoughts running through his mind, before he banished them in favor of more pleasurable ones at the moment.

Sebastian turned his head to look at his lover. Ciel lay on his back, eyes closed, breathing slowly returning to normal; his forehead damp and cheeks still red from the recent activity, but his expression was a peaceful happy one, bringing a smile to the VP's face. Feeling he was being watched, the assistant turned to gaze back, his deep blue eyes sparkling.

"Is this why you wanted me to come to London?" he teased, poking his lover's shoulder, "So, you could get some action in your bed?" The young male grinned, but stopped when he saw some sort of emotion he had never witnessed before flitter in those crimson irises. It looked like guilt, but it was gone as quickly as it came. He furrowed his brow, "Sebastian, what's wrong?" his voice filled with concern.

The VP rolled over, his upper body now on top of Ciel, his clean hand brushing a few wet strands of hair out of his lover's face as he gazed intently into the worried eyes. "Nothing, nothing is wrong," Sebastian soothed smoothly, "Don't ever think that you're just someone to keep my bed warm," he corrected, voice thick with emotion. "You are more special to me than you will ever know, Ciel." the last sentence sounded choked out.

Ciel stared up in shock; again, the assistant had never seen his boss seem so unhinged, so not in control of himself, and the previous fear of what might really be going on started to creep back into his mind. He nodded and closed his eyes to accept the soft, delicate kiss that Sebastian planted on his plump lips, his arms wrapping around his lover's neck; not wanting to let go and allow the unwelcome doubt back in.


	12. Chapter 12

A sleek black town car rode smoothly on the streets of downtown London, despite all the traffic and pedestrians that clogged the city's roadways. Ciel gazed out the tinted windows from the back seat at the foreign sites; his fingers fidgeting as he mentally prepared himself for the day ahead. Blue eyes slid over to glance at his boss in the seat next to him who seemed to be completely engrossed in his blackberry at the moment.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he turned his attention back to the windows, his mind mulling over things like what was going on with his lover. Ciel had spent the night with Sebastian, the two had gotten up this morning and everything seemed normal, that is, until he met his boss downstairs to wait for their ride. The young man picked up right away that there was something off with the older male; it wasn't anything big, just that there seemed to be an anxious energy around him lately. Not to mention how passionate Sebastian was the night before when Ciel had first flown into London. Something was not adding up and the assistant felt that he was missing some vital piece of information at the moment that would be key to explaining everything.

The car came to a stop and Ciel slid out the passenger door, Sebastian following closely behind. The young man wrapped his peacock tighter around his body against the cold and damp London weather; small snow flurries floating lazily in the sky. He followed the VP into a small building on Old Bailey and they waited together for the elevator to take them to the 5th floor. Ciel kept sliding glances to his superior, hoping to catch his eye and give a slight smile, but Sebastian kept his eyes straight ahead, much to his assistant's annoyance.

Stepping out of the elevator into the FPE reception area, the VP finally looked at his assistant. "Wait here. I will send out someone to show you around." Sebastian's instructions seemed void of any sort of emotion, his eyes had a cold look that made Ciel step back a bit before nodding. The executive narrowed his eyes slightly and turned around to walk down a hallway, disappearing around a corner. Ciel sighed again, this time out of disappointment and took a seat in the reception area, letting his eyes wander.

There was a receptionist desk, although nobody was behind it at the moment, large and made of mahogany. The color scheme was darker and more complex than the New York office, a mixture of forest greens, dark purples, and deep reds seemed to be visible throughout the Victorian era style fabrics and carpet. Whoever had decorated the area obviously wanted the space to replicate English nobility from the 1800's.

"Oi! You Ciel?" the young man's head snapped up at the sound of his name. A tall blonde with black horn rimmed glasses in a charcoal grey suit was making his way down the hall in the assistant's direction. He smiled as he approached, stretching out a hand, "Ronald's the name. Was told to come and show you around." Ciel stood and shook hands, eyeing the English man in front of him.

"Hi, yeah, I'm Ciel. Nice to meet you Ronald." He folded his pea coat over his arm and grabbed his brief case to follow his chaperon through the offices. Doing his best to keep up with the young guide, Ciel matched Ronald's long strides while looking around him. "So, Ronald, what do you do at FPE?"

Green eyes twinkled at the assistant, "Me, I'm Mr. Sutcliff's assistant in marketing. You'll be meeting him shortly." Walking a few more feet before stopping in front of a door with the title Marketing on it, "So you work for VP Michaelis?" Ciel nodded, "Man, that must be a hard job. Hear that guy's a hard ass." The assistant began to blush and turned his face away to hide the color, finding it amusing that Sebastian had such a reputation amongst the London office.

They proceeded through the door into a large room with desks and easels, mock ups of PowerPoint presentations were tacked on the walls along with various different incarnations of the FPE logo. Ronald walked towards the back of the room where a red figure was hunched over lit table covered in piles of papers. "Hey Grell!" the blonde called at the wiggling murmuring figure, "I've got someone for you to meet."

The scarlet suited man stood up and stretched his arms wide, not turning around, long equally red hair spilled down his back, "Really, Ronald, I don't have time to meet any of your little friends right now. And aren't you supposed to be working on the China presentation at the moment, hmm?" The high pitched voice spun around to reveal a tall slim man with a black vest and tie under his garish suit, red rimmed cat eye glasses pushed up the bridge of his nose.

"Ahh, Ronald, you found yourself a little girlfriend, how adorable." Grell keened, a smirk spreading over his face as he looked over Ciel. The assistant glowered at the flamboyant man, he knew was short and thin, but to be mistaken for a girl? That was just ridiculous and the assistant narrowed his eyes in distaste at the director.

"Grell, this isn't a friend of mine," Ronald informed before taking a step closer, bringing a hand up to his mouth to whisper, "And it's a he, not a she." The marketing director's mouth popped open into a small 'O', furrowing his brow and pursing his lips as if concentrating hard.

"Really? Are you sure Ronald? I mean, she's so cute!" the man squealed, reaching out to pinch Ciel's cheek before earning a well-deserved slap at his hand from the infuriated assistant. "Ow! You little brat!" Ronald rolled his eyes and went to stand behind the New York colleague, his hands placed on the slim shoulders.

"You'll have to excuse Mr. Sutcliff, occasionally he forgets to think before he speaks." He whispered into Ciel, then turning his attention to his boss, "Grell, this is Ciel Phantomhive. Mr. Michaelis' assistant from New York." A shocked looked stopped the red head in his tracks as he took another long look at the young male in front of him.

"Hmmm," the director mused, sauntering around Ciel and Ronald a full 360 degrees before stopping to address them again, "Well, well, so you're Michaelis' gatekeeper. How interesting." He leaned in and took a quick sniff at the young man before wrinkling his nose and backing away, "Eh, I don't get it." He stated in a bored tone while walking back to whatever he was working on previously. "We are done here, Ronald," a hand waved into the air indicating that the introductions were over.

_What the fuck is wrong with that guy?_ Ciel scowled to himself as he followed Ronald out of the marketing department, happy to be anywhere right now that didn't have to do with the crazy freak they had just met.

* * *

Ciel shoved another fry into his mouth, or chips as they were called over here. He sat in a pub a few blocks away from the office having lunch with Ronald after being ushered around for the past few hours. The assistant had been shown the location of Claude's office, the door had been closed, but in front of it sat his assistant; some strange young man named Timber or Thompson, Ciel really couldn't remember now. The dark violet haired male had just stared and nodded apathetically at Ciel the entire time Ronald made the introductions, not saying a word.

They travelled around some more to Sebastian's visiting office and a desk nearby where Ciel could put his things for the time being. The assistant had hoped that he might see his boss at this point in the tour, but the visiting office door was wide open and empty, that hope died away quickly at the sight.

They passed the CEO's office, a large corner of the building with a heavy door that read Funtom CEO in gold lettering across it. Paula, the happy brunette assistant to the CEO, sat at a desk in front of the impressive office answering phones and taking messages for the powerful man that Ciel had yet to see.

"So, tell me, Ronald," Ciel began, taking a sip of his iced tea, "What is the deal with your boss? I mean, Mr. Sutcliff is weird." He had meant to say different, but this adjective just seemed to work better.

A loud laugh was let out and Ronald smiled, "Yeah, Grell's pretty odd, but that's just his way. He's great at his job and I guess you can get away with being like that when you're on the creative end of this business." He arched an eyebrow, giving Ciel a knowing look at the words 'like that'.

"Sooo, he's gay." Ciel said slowly, his eyes searching the face across the table for signs of that he had over stepped his bounds with the statement; there wasn't any.

The blonde leaned forward, "What gave it away? The outfit? Cuz I knew it the minute he opened his mouth." He grinned and sat back, "Not that it matters much to me, even though it's not my scene." Green eyes sliding over to stare approvingly at the blonde waitress who was talking to the bar tender.

Ciel followed his gaze and then looked back to Ronald, "And the office is ok with him being so out in the open with it?" From what the young man had learned about homosexuality and the corporate world from Sebastian, the two just didn't mix well. If you were gay you had better find a way to keep it on the down low if you wanted to succeed in that world, the old boy's club didn't take too kindly to being 'proud and loud'.

Ronald frowned a bit at the inquiry, "Well, Grell's great at what he does so at the end of the day I don't think it really matters to the company which side his bread is buttered. But then again he's in marketing, so it's not like someone who's in real position of power or face of the company like a VP or CFO." Ciel nodded, processing the information; thoughts of how Sebastian and Claude lived their lives in order to be successful flitting through his mind.

"Now, if I were someone like, let's say, Michaelis," the blonde's statement bringing Ciel from his daze, "and I were gay, I would hide that shit so deep that the devil himself wouldn't be able to find it." Ronald shook his head, taking another sip of beer. Ciel averted his eyes for a moment, but when he looked back, his coworker was paying attention to the waitress from earlier.

Attempting to change the subject, Ciel leaned in, "She's cute, right?" his head nodding to the waitress. "You should ask her out."

Ronald shrugged his shoulders, "I could. I don't have the smooth moves all the girls seem to want in a guy nowadays. Besides, she looks like she's got no problem getting dates." Locking eyes with Ciel, "Now you, on the other hand, you must drive the girls crazy in the States. Adorable little thing like you." The blonde teased and winked.

Ciel shook his head furiously, "Nope, sorry to disappoint, but can't say that I do." Ronald laughed at the adamant statement. "I had a girlfriend, but we broke up and now, I'm . . . " his voice trailing off; he didn't know what to call his and Sebastian's relationship. Were they boyfriends? Lovers? Partners? It had never been something that Ciel felt the need to define until this exact moment.

"Don't worry, Ciel," the blonde soothed while he chuckled, "You'll figure it out. Until then, you can consider yourself a free agent." Ronald took another sip of his beer as he went back to staring at the waitress.

Ciel sat back and stared down at his half eaten fried fish, all of the sudden, he wasn't very hungry anymore.  _So what do I call, Sebastian?_ he pondered. Without a term to stick to their relationship, did that mean he didn't have any claim on the man he loved? Alois seemed to think he did, but if everything had to be kept quiet for the sake of their careers, did that mean there was no future for them together? And how do you let other people know someone belonged to you when you couldn't display your affection for one another in public?

The assistant's head was starting to spin from all the unanswered questions swimming around in his mind. He would have to talk to Sebastian about it at some point, maybe tonight if they weren't too busy with something else. Yes, Ciel would think about all this later, but right now, he had to concentrate on acting like he didn't care at all for the man in the office seated only a few feet away from him at the FPE headquarters.

* * *

Ciel let out a happy sigh, he was sated and content as he wrapped his arm around Sebastian's waist in bed, snuggling his face into the strong chest. A hint of guilt made itself known as the young man thought about his empty hotel room that that company was paying for, but decided to ignore in favor of clinging more closely to his boss.

The rest of the day had gone by quickly after lunch, Ronald had taken him to the accounting department where Ciel was introduced to a very stern looking William T. Spears. The bespectacled, emerald-eyed male had given the assistant a curt hello before abruptly leaving, mumbling something about overtime as he walked away.

Back in the VP's hotel suite later that evening, it didn't take long before Ciel jumped his boss, demanding affection. Something that Sebastian was more than happy to give his insistent lover. He chuckled now at the way Ciel pulled closer to him, Sebastian's hand on the small back, stroking it gently, his other flipping the channels on the TV to find something to watch from bed.

"So, what did you think of the London office?" Sebastian asked, placing a light kiss to the top of the slate colored head, "I would have asked sooner, but you had me a little preoccupied." The VP grinned as a blush spread over his assistant's cheeks. Even after all the time they spent together, the young male still could get embarrassed so easily, a fact that Sebastian found incredibly endearing.

Ciel hummed, his fingers tracing small circles over the bare chest, "It's nice. It has some rather interesting people though."

"How so?" Sebastian asked, an eyebrow arching in question.

"Well, I met the marketing director, Mr. Sutcliff. He thought I was a girl." Ciel pouted at the memory, a loud laugh from Sebastian caused him to look up, "Why is that so funny? I didn't find it amusing at all." he grumbled.

Still chuckling, "Because that sounds so much like Grell. Don't take offense to that, the man is an absolute loon. He's been trying ensnare me for years now; doesn't let up." Ciel pushed himself up on Sebastian's chest, his eyes looking shocked.

"So, he knows you're gay?" The assistant couldn't believe that someone within the FPE company would know such a thing about his boss, Sebastian kept that part of his life so well hidden.

"No, he doesn't" the older male shook his head, "But orientation doesn't seem to matter to Grell. If he fixates on you, then that's it. I think you could be an entirely different species and he still would try to start a love affair with you." Ciel laughed and flopped back down into the strong arms, relieved that his boss's cover hadn't been blown. "Anybody else that you found interesting?"

"Well, Ronald is very nice. We had lunch together." Ciel answered slowly, fidgeting with his fingers. He recalled the questions that were playing around in his mind from earlier in the day.  _I guess now is a good a time as any,_ he concluded,  _It's not like Sebastian can get up and go anywhere without his clothing._ Taking a deep breath, "Um, Sebastian?"

"Hm?" Sebastian was watching BBC news, his mind obviously filing away facts for later use. "What is it, Ciel?"

The assistant squeezed shut his eyes as he spoke, "What are we?" He felt his boss's body tense a bit underneath him and heard the TV program silenced as the mute buttoned was pressed.

"Could you be more specific? That's a rather broad question." Ciel's eyes popped open as he felt his lover encircle him in his arms, the question being breathed into his hair. Begrudgingly, the young man pushed himself up and out of Sebastian's embrace so he could look him in the eyes. If Ciel was going to be asking such a serious question, he needed to see his boss's facial reactions.

"Us. You and me, are we, what do we call what we have together?" One hand gripped the white fluffy comforter tightly, while the other was placed flat on Sebastian's tight waist. Blue eyes gazed into crimson orbs, hoping for a positive answer.

Sebastian furrowed his brows and reached a hand out, knuckles gently stroking the blushed cheek, "What do you want to call it, Ciel?" he asked softly.

The young male averted his eyes, he didn't know what to call what they had. He had never felt this way about anyone before and had been hoping that Sebastian already had a label in mind. Now, it looked like his boss wanted Ciel to define their relationship.

"Well," Ciel began slowly, "I don't want to call you my partner, because that sounds like we're in a business arrangement." His eyes glanced up to see Sebastian nod slightly in agreement, "And I think we're more than just boyfriends, seems a bit juvenile to call you that." Ciel nibbled on his lower lip, "So, I don't know what to call us."

Sebastian's outstretched hand gently wrapped around the back of Ciel's neck, pulling him close to his chest. The young male closed his eyes as he listened the steady beat of the strong heart beneath his ear.

"How about, you call me yours, because that's what I am." Sebastian murmured into Ciel's hair, his arms pressing around the small body. "And I'll call you mine, because that's what you are, mine. And that's all we need at the end of the day, Ciel, is each other." Ciel lifted his head to place a soft kiss onto Sebastian's mouth.

This was fine, it was perfect actually. That's exactly what they were, they belonged to one another, completely; mind, body and soul. And as Ciel felt the passion grow from the innocent kiss he had given, he smiled inwardly knowing that no definition could be more accurate than the one Sebastian had just given him.

* * *

A small huff left pinks lips as Ciel sat back in his chair at the London office. He had just finished typing an email to his mother, since the time difference between England and the States made it difficult to call, Ciel had decided emailing would be far simpler and more informative than a phone call anyways.

He had also just transferred Alois some cash from his checking account. Since everything Ciel did in London was either being billed to FPE directly or reimbursed when he got back home, there was no need spend his paycheck on anything and the rent was still due in New York.

The young man smiled to himself as he sent an email to his roommate that he should check his account later that day and couldn't help putting a note in the narrative that said 'for rent, not booze!'. Watching the message go through the Outbox, Ciel yawned and stretched his arms, looking up as his boss stopped by his desk.

Sebastian was busy typing on his blackberry, not looking at Ciel, "The CEO would like to meet you." The assistant's jaw dropped a bit, but closed it quickly when he noticed the stern expression on the VP's face. Whatever he was reading from smartphone's screen was not making Sebastian happy.

As the VP proceeded down the hall, his assistant scrambled up and followed quickly in his steps. Ciel smoothed his suit with his hands and tried to calm his erratic breathing, in all honesty, he was nervous to meet the head of FPE. In just a few years, Mr. Funtom had turned a small private equity firm into one of the fastest growing companies in the industry, something that impressed Ciel greatly and aspired to do one day as well.

Stopping in front of the CEO's office door, Sebastian gave his assistant a hesitant look before opening it and stepping inside. Ciel took a deep breath and entered the large room, looking around to take in the decor. The CEO sat in his executive chair, documents in hand, head down reading the contents in front of him.

The VP cleared his throat and Mr. Funtom looked up, his brown eyes landing first on his executive and then the young slate haired male next to him. A small smile spread over the CEO's face as he quickly surveyed his son, taking notice of the features he had received from his mother and what similarities he had from his father. It was true, the young man favored Rachel more than Vincent, but the CEO hoped that his own traits were hidden deeper in the younger man's mind.

Vincent leaned back in his chair, fingers laced together under his chin, "So, Michaelis, this is your new assistant." The VP nodded a greeting and his eyes narrowed as he surveyed the desk, noticing that the picture of Vincent and Rachel was nowhere to be seen. He looked over at his assistant and cocked his head towards the desk.

"Ciel Phantomhive, Sir. It's wonderful to finally meet you." Ciel stated strongly as he walked forward extending a hand out to the CEO, who stood and accepted the gesture. Grasping the slim fingers in his own hand, seemingly satisfied with the strength of the grip. "I am very excited to be working for a company such as wonderful as FPE." he continued, his blue eyes never leaving the CEO's brown ones. Vincent smiled slightly at the professional way his son held himself.

Chuckling, "It's good to hear you say that." the CEO commented, his gaze never leaving the young man's face. "It would be quite awful for you to work somewhere you hated." Ciel smiled at the comment, his eyes shining at the light heartedness of the moment, nerves relaxing a bit. "Please, tell me more about yourself, Ciel." Vincent motioned for the VP and his assistant to have a seat in the chairs facing his desk.

Ciel spent the next hour telling the owner of FPE his life's story, how he grew up, where he went to school, how he came to the decision to study finance in college, and finally how he came to work at the company now. The CEO seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the telling of his son's life without him in it, he didn't even flinch when the young man got to the part about his mother having to work two jobs at one point to make ends meet.

Sebastian's eyes flitted between his assistant and his superior cautiously, it bothered him to no end what Vincent was doing at the moment and he was furious that the situation he had been put in with Ciel.

A beeping that sounded like an alarm came from the CEO's pocket and the man fished his blackberry out to look at it. "I'm sorry to end this, but I have a conference call I need to prepare for shortly." Standing up, Vincent reached out and shook Ciel's hand, "I do hope to see you again soon, Ciel. I expect to hear great things about you in the near future." The older man smiled and the assistant returned the gesture, a proud look on his face.

The VP stood and nodded to his superior, turning to follow his assistant out, "Oh, Michaelis," Vincent announced, "I need to run some things by you before you go." Sebastian furrowed his brow and looked back to Ciel who was waiting at the door, eyes wide with questioning.

"You can go, Ciel. I'll be along in a minute." Sebastian instructed and Ciel offered a polite thank you to the CEO before exiting the room, shutting the door behind him.

With the latch clicking into place, the VP looked his superior dead in the eye, "Well, did he meet your high standards?" he hissed, the question dripping off Sebastian's tongue like venom.

Placing his hands on his suit and smoothing out any wrinkles, Vincent sat back down, "Most of them actually. I wasn't sure he would, considering the absence of a strong male figure in his life, but Rachel more than made up for that in the end." Vincent chuckled to himself as he flipped through his blackberry. "He's still rough around the edges, a little too timid for my tastes."

Sebastian stood still as stone, knowing that if he moved too much he would be tempted to haul his fist back and punch the man with the smug expression in front of him. The VP clenched and unclenched his hands, teeth grinding together to fight back the comments that wanted to break through the surface of his mouth. Instead, he just nodded as if agreeing with the insane observations made by the CEO.

"You can go back to New York now, Michaelis, but keep an eye on him." Vincent commanded, leaning forward, "I need him to be more like a vicious dog instead of a playful kitten if I want him inheriting FPE one day. But I will leave that up to your tutelage." The CEO waved his hand in the air, dismissing his executive, returning his attention to his blackberry. "I expect much improvement the next time I see him."

Sebastian gave a low growl and nodded, spinning around on his heel, exiting the office and slamming the door behind him as he left.

* * *

Bright streetlights flashed as the tinted window sedan made its way through the streets of Manhattan. It was only 9 pm at night, but that meant it was 3 am London time, and Ciel's body was still on British time. The young man's head was slumped against his boss's broad shoulder as they were being driven home from JFK in a town car. Ciel had barely stayed awake long enough to collect his luggage from baggage claim and when he finally sank into the leather backseat of the Lincoln sleep overcame him almost instantly.

Sebastian glanced down and smiled as the small body shifted slightly against him, the slate bangs falling over his assistant's forehead while a hand gripped his boss's wool coat tighter. The car started to slow down, pulling into a spot in front of Ciel's apartment building.

Leaning down next to the assistant's ear, "Hey, you're home, baby." Sebastian whispered, smirking when his lover let out an annoyed groan before snuggling himself closer to the VP's body. It was so cute, like a 5 year old that didn't want to get up for school.

"Hmmm?" his eyes still shut, yawning, "No wanna" Ciel mumbled quietly, giving no indication of moving from his comfortable position.

Sebastian chuckled softly, "Ok, you want to spend the night at my place then?" He breathed against the shell of Ciel's ear, causing the young man to shiver involuntarily, his head nodding a bit in confirmation.

"Driver", the VP directed at the front of the car, "there will be only one stop tonight. CitySpire on 56th, please." He glanced back down at his lover who was fast asleep once again. The VP sighed before staring out the window, his mind now full with heavy thoughts.

The executive was furious that the position the CEO had put him in now. He was supposed to find a way to make his assistant more like the owner of FPE, cruel and unfeeling, adopt a take no prisoner's attitude, all the while not being told the truth about who Vincent really was or what he was being molded for.

Crimson eyes looked back sadly at the slumbering male, but that's not who Ciel was, he had too much compassion to be a cutthroat executive like his father and Sebastian honestly didn't want to see his lover follow in those footsteps. But what could he do?

If he told Ciel the truth about Vincent, then Sebastian stood to lose everything he had worked so hard for in his life, the CEO would make sure of it. And he had a sneaky suspicion of just how Vincent would go about doing it. Some digging would be done in the VP's personal life and it wouldn't take much to uncover that he was gay. Sebastian's gender preference alone wouldn't be his complete undoing, but the CEO wouldn't stop there. He would make up some sort of scandal or rumor to go with it and that could completely destroy Sebastian's reputation. In the end, the VP would have no more credibitily in the industry and Sebastian feared no one would want to work with him after that.

Sebastian sighed again and lowered his face to rest on top of Ciel's head, closing his eyes and breathing in the scent of his lover; thoughts running rampant through the VP's mind. Part of him knew he should just accept the instructions his superior had given him and mold the young man into what Vincent wanted, not giving it a second thought. No doubt, Sebastian would be handsomely compensated for mentoring the next owner of FPE, but he found himself hesitant to do what had been asked of him.

And that hesitation, the feeling he felt deep in his chest when he looked at Ciel, that is what worried Sebastian most of all.


	13. Chapter 13

The next few weeks passed by Ciel in what seemed like a blur. The New York office was running at full steam as the acquisition of a new huge client became priority number one, long hours, weekends and late nights filled the employees' time and the assistant found that, yes, he could actually function quite well on only a few hours of sleep each night. Ciel poured over revision after revision of LPA and PPM agreements, becoming bleary-eyed after staring at the same text for what seemed to be the millionth time in one day.

It was a great learning experience, Ciel knew this, and the fact that his boss had let him handle such important numbers and calculations made the young man extremely proud of himself despite the constant fatigue. But the discomfort he experienced was nothing compared to the pressure and exhaustion he saw the VP and Bard take on in client preparation and work. Sebastian worked tirelessly around the clock, never seeming to stop and rest for even a minute and Ciel began to wonder when the last time his boss had actually slept.

As a result of being overworked, Sebastian was grumpy and short tempered, barely even glancing at his assistant unless he needed something business related. But Ciel took the sour attitude in stride, knowing that what he was witnessing first hand was what might be expected of him one day if he ever had the chance to step into his boss's shoes. The idea only fueling his desire to proceed forward down this career path he had chosen and he marveled that even though Sebastian was overworked and clearly past the point of exhaustion, the older man never once lost his temper with his staff. His calm demeanor kept an otherwise chaotic situation from turning into an outright apocalypse amongst his tired subordinates.

After the fourth week, things began to slow down and the office returned to its normal pace as before. The client was happy and another good business relationship had been established, promising years of a beneficial arrangement for both parties involved.

Ciel had taken to sleeping at Sebastian's place most nights during the project, partly because it was closer than his apartment in Hell's kitchen, but mostly so that two could spend time together away from the harsh microscope which was their office. The young male loved seeing his lover every night, falling asleep cuddled up close in Sebastian's strong arms only to wake up the next morning to the blissful sight of his boss still slumbering. Every morning, Ciel would watch Sebastian sleep, his face so peaceful and angelic looking when there were no outside stresses to mar his expression; it made the young man smile.

Every day they spent together, the more Ciel felt himself falling for Sebastian. Until one day, while watching his lover do something as mundane as brushing his teeth, Ciel got up from where he was sitting on the edge of the hot tub and wrapped his arms around Sebastian's waist.

Ciel had never felt like this before, it was as if his entire soul was soaring and any minute it would burst out of his body from the feeling. He was in love, completely and utterly in love with Sebastian Michaelis and Ciel knew it with every fiber of his being. He couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the warm feeling that coursed through him and he pressed himself into Sebastian's back, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply the scent of the older male's shirt and skin.

Sebastian rinsed his mouth and turned around, chuckling as he kissed the top of Ciel's forehead. "And what is this all about? It's a little early for you to be so affectionate." Crimson eyes gazed down at blue spheres in a teasing light, Ciel had never been a morning person; the young man really didn't wake up until after his second cup of tea.

Ciel sighed and tightened his grip around his lover's waist, "I, um, I just wanted to hold you, I guess." He fumbled with his words, the assistant blushed as he knew what he wanted to say, but was having trouble getting the words out. Sebastian laughed and placed long fingers under his lover's chin, lifting it up to place a soft kiss on the pale lips. The older male tasted like mint, the combination of that and his warm mouth made Ciel moan a bit as he kissed back.

Keeping his eyes shut, Ciel pulled back and murmured against his lover's mouth, "I love you."

Instantly, he felt Sebastian's body stiffen, the action causing Ciel to stop his ministrations and look up to see what the issue was. Confused blue eyes searched the VP's face for anything that would give him a reason for the odd reaction, but all he saw was hesitation in those ruby irises; and his heart sank.

Sebastian released his embrace, pushing Ciel away an inch or two before clearing his throat. The young man took a step back and waited for a response, all the while trying not to panic over the situation like he had done the last time.

"Thank you, Ciel. That's very sweet of you." Sebastian spoke quietly, looking away quickly and then back again nervously. The VP gazed softly into the fearful eyes of his assistant, and as each second passed in silence, Ciel felt himself spiral further down into depression. "I, uh, I have to go out for a while." Sebastian stated calmly, walking around his lover into the bedroom.

Ciel stood alone in the bathroom, frozen, unable to breath, to blink. His eyes remained wide with terror as his mind processed what had just happened.  _I told him I loved him, and nothing,_ he thought rapidly,  _nothing, he just thanked me. Did I speak too soon?_ The young man shook his head furiously,  _No, I didn't, I know I didn't, that's how I feel, but him . . ._ The thought faded away because Ciel couldn't think the words that would make his whole world come crashing down.

Looking down, Ciel noticed that his hands were clenched at his sides, knuckles white as nails tore into the palms of his hands. He felt pain there, but it was nothing compared to the agony that was slowly spreading throughout his entire being at the moment. Forcing a deep unsteady breath, Ciel willed himself to turn around and move into the bedroom, where Sebastian was pulling on his black wool coat.

The VP glanced up, taking in the sight of his tortured assistant, "I have some errands to run. I will be back soon, just make yourself comfortable." Ciel nodded, knowing that if he spoke he would just end up crying. Sebastian gave his lover another quick look, brows furrowing in concern before walking out of the bedroom and the front door of the condo.

When Ciel heard the deafening sound of the deadbolt slip into place, he knew he was alone. His knees gave out and he crumpled to the floor, his body no longer being able to support itself or the emotions that tore through him. Curling into a fetal position, Ciel buried his head in his knees as he cried, the mournful sound of his sobs his only comfort.

* * *

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Alois barked at the persistent banging on his apartment door. The blonde rubbed his sleepy eyes with both hands as he stumbled out of bed, looking at the clock on the wall that read 10:33 am. "Who the hell is up this early on a Saturday anyways?" he grumbled to himself, reaching the front door.

"Somebody had better be dead or dying right now!" he called to his uninvited visitor, sliding the deadbolt back and then opening the door, the blonde gasped.

Sebastian's tall profile leaned against door frame, his face pale and stressed, dark locks disheveled, but it was the look in the VP's dark eyes that Alois shocked most of all. They looked lost and filled with concern, something the blonde had never seen in the powerful man before.

Alois lunged at the VP, his fingers curling tightly around the collar of the black coat, "Where's Ciel? What the hell did you do to him, motherfucker?" He had jumped to the conclusion since the only reason the man would be here alone is if something had happened to his friend. "If you hurt him I swear to God, I will fucking cut your dick off and stuff it into a meat grinder!"

"I didn't do anything to Ciel. He's fine, Alois." Sebastian growled, gripping the small wrists and jerking them roughly off of his person. Sighing, the VP ran a hand through his messy hair, "I need to talk to you though, please." He looked away as he asked softly.

Alois stood back, arms crossed over his chest, blue eyes narrowing, "Ok." He turned around to walk over to the couch, "You can come in." Plopping down, the blonde glared at the VP, his eyes still suspicious. "Where is he?"

Sebastian closed the door and walked into the small apartment, taking a seat in a chair next to the couch. Leaning forward on his knees, "Ciel's at my place, I think. At least, that's where I left him."

Alois furrowed his brow, "What do you mean that's where you left him? What happened, Sebastian?" he asked slowly. The VP averted his eyes, looking to the floor.

"We had a moment, this morning." Crimson eyes locked onto the icy blue orbs glaring at him, "He, Ciel, he told me he loved me." Sebastian's voice was quiet as Alois's expression changed from one of contempt to complete shock, his mouth popping open into a silent 'O'.

"Well, good for him," the blonde stated firmly, "It's good that he finally admitted how he feels about you. What did you say?" Alois had a sneaky suspicion that he was about to find out why the VP was here sitting in his living room at the moment.

"I thanked him and told him it was sweet." Sebastian confessed, cringing at the words he had spoken only a short while ago. He knew that the response he had given wasn't right, but for the life of him, the older male could not figure out why he had said them.

Alois was on his feet in a second, shouting, "You what? What the fuck is wrong with you?" It took all the blonde's willpower not to haul back and hit the VP in the face, his fingers trembled at the thought.

"I – I don't know," Sebastian breathed out heavily, holding his head in his hands, shaking it, "I don't know why I said that. I shouldn't have, but . . ." Alois interrupted, not wanting to hear the excuse.

"But what, Sebastian? But what?" Alois's voice was shrill, his anger evident, "You don't love him, is that it? If so, then tell him that! Let him go, you sick bastard!" Sebastian's head snapped up to stare the exasperated blonde, lips set in a grim line.

"It's not that I don't, it's just," The VP defended, his eyes looking to the floor again, "It's complicated, Alois." The blonde let out an annoyed groan at the explanation.

"It's not complicated, Sebastian. You either love Ciel or you don't. It's really that simple." Alois affirmed, scarlet eyes lifted and a sad knowing smile spread over the older man's handsome face. Sighing, the blonde sat down again, one hand stretched out to pat the VP's shoulder.

"Look, I don't know what your baggage is, Sebastian." Alois informed, "But what I do know is Ciel and if he decides to shut you out of his life then that's it for you. Once he goes on lock down he won't let you back in, no matter what you do." Sebastian licked his lips nervously and nodded. "So, if you do love him, you have to tell him that, sooner than later, okay?" The blonde peered up into the older man's face, smiling slightly.

Sebastian gave a small smile and nodded again, taking a deep breath before standing up. He smoothed down his coat, walking with Alois to the front door, which the blonde held open. Turning around, "Thank you, Alois." Sebastian stated truthfully, watching a huge grin spread over the blonde's face.

"Don't mention it, Sebastian. Just go and talk to Ciel before he gets any crazy ideas and does something really stupid." Alois waved goodbye and closed the door, slumping his back against the wood and sighing, "You're a good friend, Alois, yes, you are." He mumbled to himself before making his way back to his warm bed.

* * *

_I can't stay here. I need to get out._ Ciel thought as he wrapped his pea coat around his small body, shutting the door behind him. After crying for what seemed like an eternity, the young man had gathered up enough strength to get dressed and make his way out of his boss's condo.

It was a frigid day in the city, it had snowed a good 3 or 4 inches the night before and they were calling for another 2 to 3 today, but Ciel didn't care about that. All he wanted to do was put as much space as possible between him and his boss at the moment.

The young man made his way out into the streets and decided to head north into Central Park, entering on the East 59th Street side, Ciel quickly walked the path up to the Central Park Zoo. Much of the snow had been cleared from the paths, but what had melted was starting to refreeze, making the walkways slick. The area was unusually sparse of people, but with more heavy snow in the forecast, it was easy to see how most people would decide to spend the day indoors as opposed to going out and braving the winter chill.

A particularly cold blast of wind had Ciel tugging his coat closer to his body, teeth starting to chatter slightly, cursing himself for not grabbing his scarf and gloves on the way out. Nevertheless, the young man kept on, walking all the way to Bethesda Terrace, stopping there to look up at the angel on top of the fountain.

Ciel always liked this part of the park and found the Angel of the Waters fountain to be especially beautiful. He sighed as he eyed the details in the statue, before making his way over the edge of the Lake where he sat down on a stone molding. Gazing out over the still waters, Ciel remembered how during warmer months boats would row across the lake and ducks and geese would swim around the lily pads.

But now, everything was dead in winter's grip,  _Dead, just like Sebastian's feelings for me,_ he thought bitterly, fighting back tears that threatened to spill again. Wrapping his arms around his knees, Ciel curled into a warm ball, trying to shut out the world around him; not noticing the setting sun or the small flurries that had begun to fall all around him.

* * *

Sebastian glanced out the window again, watching the snow as it continued to fall from the sky and blanket the city below. It was now about 8 pm and the VP had been home for a couple of hours, having returned to an empty condo. Not that he could blame Ciel for not wanting to wait for his return, especially after the way he had left so abruptly. The VP sighed as he mulled things over in his head, the conversation with Alois in the forefront of his mind.

Yes, things were complicated. Or was that just an excuse he was using to keep his distance? No, they were definitely complicated, but so was everything in life, so how should this be any different? Sebastian groaned and placed his head in his hands; he hated feeling like there was an ultimatum and only wished that Ciel was here right now so he could talk to the young man.

Letting his impatience get the best of him, Sebastian reached for his blackberry and dialed Ciel's number. A faint ringing sound in the condo caused Sebastian's head to jerk up and he sprinted into the bedroom where his assistant's blackberry was sitting on the nightstand. His jaw dropped open with the realization that Ciel could be anywhere and he had absolutely no way of finding him.

Fear constricted around Sebastian's heart at the thought that maybe Ciel wasn't just out, but maybe he wasn't planning on coming back. A quick look around the room showed no other signs of his lover, no extra clothes, not even an extra pair of socks. Just his work blackberry and Ciel never left the smartphone behind.

The VP felt dizzy, the room was spinning and he gripped the edge of the bed for support. Alois had been right, Ciel had shut him out of his life, he was gone. Sebastian took a few deep breaths to steady himself, shaking his head against the onslaught of emotions shooting through his body. Ciel couldn't, he wouldn't have, not when Sebastian was so close to realizing his true feelings for the young man, it didn't seem fair.

The older male gave a bitter chuckle, this was exactly what he deserved, and he knew it. He should be punished for what he agreed to do for the CEO and truly didn't warrant anything better than this; his own personal hell.

A knock at the door pulled Sebastian from his mental turmoil and he collected himself before making his way to the door. Upon opening it, the VP gasped in shock as a member of the NYPD stood in front of him holding a limp form in a navy pea coat.

"Mr. Michaelis?" the officer stated firmly, a no-nonsense expression on his face, "We found this young man in the park, half frozen. We wanted to take him to the hospital, but he kept insisting we bring him here. Do you know him?" The officer gave Sebastian a skeptical look and the VP nodded, moving aside so the man could enter his residence.

"I do." Sebastian confirmed quietly, showing the officer into the master suite where he placed a bluish Ciel onto the bed. Pulling a blanket over his cold form, Sebastian followed the officer out into the foyer. "He's my nephew. I had no idea where he had gone. Thank you so much for bringing him back here." He smiled at the man.

The officer narrowed his eyes at the statement before nodding slowly, "By bringing him here, Mr. Michaelis, you understand that he has refused medical treatment and the city of New York is no longer liable for his wellbeing at this point." The VP nodded and thanked the officer for his assistance in the matter. Closing the door Sebastian wasted no time in hurrying back to the bedroom.

Sebastian stood at the edge of the bed, eyes wide with worry as he watched Ciel shiver and moan quietly, his lips blue from cold and fingers white from exposure. Swallowing hard, the VP stepped forward, reaching an arm under the young man's knees, the other behind his shoulders and lifting. There was a pained moan from Ciel as he was moved, his head rolling against Sebastian's warm chest.

"Come on, Ciel," Sebastian murmured against a frigid ear, "Let's get you warm." Ciel whimpered incoherently and his hand curled into the fabric of his lover's shirt.

The older male placed Ciel gently on the edge of the tub, leaning his shoulder against the marble wall before turning the faucet onto warm. Ciel stirred a bit and moaned again, his body aching from the lack of heat, eyes still shut tight and lips trembling from the cold. Letting the warm water fill the tub, Sebastian turned his attention back to getting Ciel undressed.

Slowly he pulled off the black combat boots and socks, hissing as his fingers brushed over the icy toes. He then peeled the coat from Ciel's frame, along with the black thermal shirt he had on. Sebastian's eyes grew wide as he saw how pale his lover's body was, the once pallid skin looked almost translucent and Ciel wrapped his arms around his naked torso, shivering violently.

"Just a bit longer, Ciel," Sebastian soothed as he quickly lifted Ciel up to undo his jeans, letting them slide off onto the floor with his boxers. Looking over to the steaming tub and deeming it warm enough, the older male helped to guide the chilled body into the water.

Ciel's teeth chattered as he sank in, surrounded by the liquid heat, his skin a stark contrast of pale bluish white and bright pink splotches where the water had touched him.

"St-sti . . .ll-l . . . c-col . . .d-d.," Ciel managed without biting his tongue. Opening his eyes finally to look up at Sebastian's worried expression. "S-s-so . . .r-ryyy." He breathed before another set of violent shaking set in.

The older man shook his head, this wasn't right. His body should be warming up by now, but instead, it looked like the hot water was actually making his convulsions worse. Throwing caution to the wind, Sebastian stripped out of his clothing and gently stepped into the tub, positioning himself behind Ciel's body, allowing the small shaking body to lean back against him.

Sebastian did his best not to pull away as Ciel's icy cold back pressed up against his broad chest. Wrapping his long arms around Ciel, the VP pushed their bodies together, his inner thighs flanking Ciel's outer ones. The young man leaned his head back into the crook of his lover's warm neck, and Sebastian pressed a soft kiss to the cold forehead.

"I'm so sorry for this, Ciel." He apologized quietly into the slate hair, "This is all my fault, baby." Ciel shook his head, the tremors starting to subside a bit.

"N-no, you d-didn't d-do anyth-th-thing." The assistant argued weakly, sighing as he felt some heat start to seep back into his limbs.

"You're right, I didn't do anything." Sebastian murmured, placing another kiss onto a pale check, "I should have though." Ciel whined and the VP tightened his grip further, rubbing his large hands over pale arms, creating much needed heat.

Sebastian held Ciel in the warm water, soothing and rubbing him until the shaking and shivering stopped and a light pink color returned to the young man's cheeks. The VP just stared at the small body in his arms, taking in every detail of his face, feeling every inch of his body. He smiled as a small snore left Ciel's mouth; he had fallen asleep on Sebastian's shoulder. Knowing that they couldn't stay like this all night, Sebastian nudged his lover awake.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty, wake up." he whispered into Ciel's ear, earning him a groan of disapproval. Sebastian gave a slight push and the young man slumped forward, allowing the VP up to grab two towels. Wrapping one around himself, he held one out for Ciel. "Do you think you can walk now?" Ciel nodded and stood up wobbly in the tub. Wrapping himself in the fluffy white towel, Ciel stepped out of the water and dried off before walking into the bedroom, towel still hanging low on his waist.

The young man glanced out the window to see that it was still snowing, the white flakes in deep contrast with the dark night sky. Walking to one side of the bed, Ciel watched as Sebastian turned off the light in the bathroom, leaving the master suite illuminated only by the city lights outside.

"You should get some sleep," Sebastian suggested, pulling back the heavy duvet and climbing under the sheets naked. He patted the area next to him, indicating where he wanted Ciel to lay down. Sighing, the young man dropped his towel and climbed naked into the bed, turning his back to the VP as to not have to look at him.

Ciel let out a yelp of surprise as a strong hand wrapped around his waist, pulling him flush against Sebastian's warm body. The young male couldn't help, but sink into the inviting heat pressing onto his back and the VP nudged at the soft neck in front of him with his nose, inhaling deeply the scent of his lover.

"Ciel, I am so sorry." Sebastian whispered, light kisses being trailed down the nape of Ciel's neck.

Refusing to turn around, Ciel stated bitterly, "You don't have to apologize for being honest, Sebastian."

Still kissing the delicate skin, "Now, how could I have been honest when I never said anything." He murmured, nipping lightly at Ciel's earlobe, a low moan escaping the young male's lips.

Much to his chagrin, Ciel felt his length thicken at the touches of his lover. Shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath, "Not saying anything says everything." Ciel let out surprised squeak as Sebastian turned him onto his back, the older male hovering over the small body, straddling one of his legs, crimson eyes intense.

"Exactly, I didn't say anything. Which means," Sebastian rubbed his thigh against Ciel's growing erection, eliciting another moan, "I still have everything to say." Leaning down, the older male placed a soft kiss to plump lips, urging them open slowly with this tongue, begging for entrance.

Ciel groaned as Sebastian's firm thigh rubbed him into full hardness, his own leg doing the same for his lover, as the older male rocked back and forth. Twirling his fingers into the raven locks, Ciel molded Sebastian's mouth to his own, rolling his tongue over his lover's; breath quickening. A whine of protest sounded when Sebastian broke the kiss and pulled back a bit to stare his lover in the eyes.

"Ciel," Sebastian said quietly, his red eyes intense as he gazed into the blue orbs, "Ciel, I am sorry for earlier. I don't know wh . . ." Ciel fingers pressed onto Sebastian's lips, silencing him. He searched his lover's eyes for a moment, taking in the gentle look Sebastian gave him; nibbling on his lower lip before lifting his head to place another kiss on Sebastian's lips, pulling him down to the bed again.

Ciel passionately pressed himself into the kiss, his hands roamed over Sebastian's back as the older male wrapped his arms around the smaller body beneath him. The intimacy of the act caused Sebastian to moan lowly into Ciel's mouth before breaking the kiss and moving to nibble on his lover's ear.

Ciel gasped and he gripped the broad shoulders tighter, trying to force all space out from between their bodies. His hips ground up into Sebastian's, his free leg wrapping around the older male's hip, creating more friction. Ciel bit his lip as he tilted his head back, allowing Sebastian more access to his neck.

Sebastian lavished the small throat and collarbone with kisses, his breathing heavy as he moved up to Ciel's ear again, whispering, "Let me make love to you. Please, Ciel." The young man's eyes flew wide open at the request and for a second, he couldn't believe what he has just heard. A long sensual suck to his neck caused Ciel to smile and close his eyes, his body pushing into the touch of his lover and he nodded.

Ciel hummed as he felt Sebastian's lips and tongue move over his body, across his chest, down his waist to place soft bites against his hip bone. The older male's long fingers trailed down the pale skin, his touches setting Ciel on fire, the young male's hip bucking up, seeking friction. His breathing ragged as Sebastian swept his tongue over the aching member, teasing the slit.

"Ohhh, Sebastian." Ciel moaned, his fingers running through soft raven locks. The young man's breathing was coming in short gasps, partly from the ministration and partly from the thrill of what was about to happen. "Make me yours, please." He begged wantonly.

Sebastian positioned himself between Ciel's legs, one hand wrapped around the base of his lover's cock, stroking slowly, while he spread the slender thighs further apart. A low growl left the older male's throat when he eyed the puckered pink virgin entrance, his own want hard and twitching at the sight.

Leaning over the bed to the nightstand, Sebastian roughly pulled a drawer open and sat back between Ciel's thighs again, releasing his lover's rigid member for a moment. Ciel whined and looked down to see why Sebastian had stopped pleasuring him. He watched as a vile of liquid was being dispersed into large palms and then coating long fingers.

"It's just lube, my dear. It will be cold at first, but it will warm up." Sebastian explained as he wrapped one slick hand around Ciel's cock again, earning a hiss from his lover at the chilly contact. He leaned back as he let Sebastian work his skillful fingers up and down his shaft, breath quickening again.

Ciel grit his teeth a bit when he felt a finger penetrate him, his fingers gripping the sheets, trying to concentrate on pleasure as Sebastian continued to stroke his cock instead. After a minute, the older male inserted another finger, the stretched out feeling causing Ciel to groan in discomfort.

"I'm going to do a third, alright?" Sebastian breathed, looking up in search of approval. Ciel glanced down and nodded. Biting his lower lip as the third digit made its way past the tight muscles

"F-fuck! That stings!" the young male gasped, his fingers tearing into the sheets. He felt Sebastian still for a moment before pumping slowly in and out of the tight cavern again, fingers probing as if looking for something. When the older male found it, his lover cried out, but in pleasure this time. "God! Fuck! There!" Ciel's hips bucked up as long fingers brushed against the bundle of nerves.

Ciel was a panting mess, his cock being stroked in rhythm with the pulsing of Sebastian's fingers past his prostate. He could feel his release coming, and he pushed down harder on his lover's fingers, hoping to have that intense feeling again.

"Yes, yes! Seb-astian!" he screamed, his fingers now ripping into his own hair at the feeling. One final pump pushed Ciel over the edge and came loud and fast, his cum running over the already slick fingers.

Sitting back, Sebastian stroked his own aching need, using the lube and cum from Ciel to coat his cock. He watched as his lover panted heavily, knowing that soon his pleasure would be replaced with pain for a short while.

Placing one hand on Ciel's thigh, Sebastian positioned the large head in front of the lubed entrance. Looking up, "Are you ready?" Ciel gazed down with hazy lust filled eyes and nodded, trying to breath normally again.

Three fingers were nothing compared to the pain caused by Sebastian's large cock nudging its way into Ciel's tight orifice. He bit back a cry of pain, instead shutting his eyes tightly as the massive muscle pushed in inch by inch.

Sebastian panted heavily at the feeling of Ciel's walls gripping him so tightly. He wanted nothing more than to begin pounding into the hot space, but held back, trying to be as gentle as possible. When half his length was submerged, Sebastian took Ciel's limp cock in one hand and began to pump it slowly, trying to replace some of the pain with pleasure. Ciel moaned quietly from the combination of pleasure and pain and grit his teeth together until Sebastian was fully sheathed, balls touching his ass.

Leaning forward, Sebastian's arms flanked Ciel's body. The young male looked up to see his lover panting heavily over him, the strain on his face evident. Despite being in pain himself, Ciel couldn't stand to see Sebastian in such a state and raised his hand to run his fingers over the flushed cheek over him. Sebastian managed a small smile.

"Ciel" he breathed, "Kiss me." Sebastian lowered his head to capture Ciel's mouth in a deep kiss and his lover gasped as he felt the thick heat move slowly in him. Sebastian continued to lavish Ciel's lips with attention as his hips slowly rolled back and forth, letting his lover get used to the feeling. "Ciel, please, let me move," Sebastian begged, the waiting unbearable. Ciel shook his head, still not used to feeling so full, but cried out in surprise when Sebastian sat back again; taking his lover with him.

The young man sat in Sebastian's lap, a strong arm wrapped around his waist, holding their bodies close together, the other tightly around Ciel's cock again, pumping. "Move," Sebastian instructed, as the arm around his lover's waist pushed him further down onto the turgid flesh.

"FUCK!" Ciel screamed as the motion landed the head of Sebastian's cock straight onto his spot. He eagerly rolled his hips down again, receiving the same intense jolt of pleasure. Sebastian moaned loudly at the feeling of the clenching muscles surrounding his dick.

"Seb-ba . . Ahhhhh, FUCK!" Ciel shrieked again as he pounded down onto Sebastian, one his lover's hands still fisting his weeping cock. The dual stimulation pushing him over the edge once more and Ciel bit into his lover's shoulder hard as he came, his cries muffled in the abused skin.

Having not reached his completion, Sebastian let Ciel's spent body fall back onto the bed while he gripped the slender hips, thrusting his cock rapidly in and out of the stretched hole. Fingertips dug in, sure to leave bruises the next day and Sebastian's head fell back as sweat dripped from his black locks onto the sheets below.

"God, Ciel, Ciel," he moaned, his lover's name falling from his lips like a hymn as he gave one final harsh thrust before spilling his seed within the tight space. Sebastian collapsed on top of the small sweaty body, trying desperately to catch his breath.

The VP raised his head to place soft kisses to Ciel's wet neck and forehead, running his warm tongue over the skin, tasting the salty mixture. Crimson eyes caught his lover's blue orbs and he smiled at the sight.

"That was," Ciel breathed out, smiling at how beautiful his lover looked at the moment.

"Perfect" Sebastian murmured, placing a soft kiss to the reddened lips.

Pulling back to stare at the young male, "I love you. I love you so much, Ciel." Sebastian breathed before pulling a happy Ciel back in for another passionate kiss, this one cementing those words into his lover's mind and heart.


	14. Chapter 14

Sleep pulled away as the buzzing sound continued to grow louder. Ciel groaned quietly as his hand reached out from under the warm duvet, groping around on the nightstand in search of the obnoxious sound. His fingers landing on his blackberry, he pulled it to his ear and hit the talk button with his thumb.

'Hello?' he mumbled, voice thick with sleep and annoyance.

'Where the fuck are you?' the shrill voice demanded at the other end of the call. Ciel's eyes popped open, holding the device a few inches away as the loud tirade continued. 'I've been worried sick, you asshole! What the hell happened last night?'

'Shhhh, Alois, shut the fuck up!' He hissed quietly, sitting up and glancing over at a still sleeping Sebastian. 'Hold on a sec." Scooting out from under the covers, the young man planted his feet on the carpet and exited the bedroom, shutting the door behind him as he went. He shivered as his naked body met the chilly air of the living area and he wrapped a blanket around his shoulders before sinking onto the couch. 'Ok, what are you talking about?'

The roommate continued, 'What am I talking about? I'm talking about your boyfriend making a surprise guest appearance at our place yesterday afternoon.' the blonde huffed.

Ciel's brow furrowed at the answer, 'Sebastian came by? Why would he do that?' The young man recalled the events from the day before and times they happened, coming to the conclusion that his lover must have gone to his place after leaving Ciel alone in the condo.

'Oh, I don't know,' Alois's voice thick with sarcasm, 'Maybe because you told him you loved him and he just ran away like a scared little girl instead of manning up and telling you the truth about he feels. So what happened?'

'I'm still here. In the condo.' Looking toward the bedroom door, 'Sebastian's still asleep.'

'Oh, so can I assume that everything worked out ok in the end?' He teased, the blonde's voice a bit lighter with relief and Ciel could tell that his friend was smiling. 'Did Sebastian confess his undying love for you and all is right with the world now?' There was a muffled flopping sound and Ciel assumed that the blonde must have positioned himself on the couch now.

The young man blushed, 'Yes, yes, he did.' The passionate events from the night before flowed back into his mind and Ciel winced slightly at the soreness in his behind and lower back. Feeling like a schoolgirl with a crush, he whispered into the phone, 'We made love, Alois.' And he giggled at how silly the words sounded out loud.

A brash guffaw sounded from the other end of the call, 'Oh my God, Ciel! You have got to be the only guy in the world who loses his virginity and calls it that.' The laughter turned into chuckles as Alois continued, 'So how was it? Everything you expected it to be? All flowers and rainbows and shit?'

Memories caused the young man's face to heat up again. 'It was amazing. I've never felt . . .' Ciel nibbled on his lower lip, searching for the right words, 'so close to someone before. It was like we became one person or something.'

'Really must be true love then.' Alois clicked his tongue. 'But still, your ass has gotta be hurting today.'

'You don't know the half of it.' He breathed out, wincing again as he shifted his position on the couch. The sound of the bedroom door opening caused Ciel to glance up to see Sebastian appear, dressed in only sweatpants and an undershirt. The older male smiled as he made his way quietly into the kitchen. 'Hey, Alois, I need to go. Sebastian's up..'

'I bet he is!' Another peal of laughter followed in the insinuation. 'You'd better go take care of that, loverboy!' There was a distinct heavy thump, to what Ciel could only to attribute as his roommate having fallen off the couch from laughing too hard.

'Uh-huh, talk to you later.' Ciel mumbled, pushing the end button and not hearing the retort being given on the other end. His blue eyes watched as Sebastian came over carrying two mugs, one handed to the young male before taking a place on the couch next to him.

The VP took a sip of his coffee before reaching over and pulling Ciel close to his body. Ciel sighed and wrapped his fingers around the hot beverage, leaning his head against Sebastian's shoulder. He blushed when he realized he was covered only in a blanket and snuggled further into it, hoping to feel less naked.

"How did you sleep?" Sebastian kissed the top of his lover's head.

Taking a sip of his tea, "Fine, thanks. You?" Ciel rolled his eyes up to see the soft smiling playing on the older man's lips.

"Wonderful. How are you feeling this morning?" His voice was low and laced with some concern. Sebastian's hand rubbed over Ciel's blanketed arm, warming the younger male up. "Sore?" an eyebrow arching.

Ciel blushed a little from embarrassment. "A little bit, but it's not too bad." He nibbled on his lower lip before taking another long sip of his drink.

The VP hummed and nodded, "Ah, yes. I remember that feeling. It's been a while though." Small hands pushed against his side as Ciel sat up more to look the older male in the eyes, his face showing a surprised expression.

"You've bottomed before?" Once again, Ciel was happy that he had done his research so that he actually had an idea what Sebastian was talking about, but he could just not believe that the imposing man in front of him had ever taken the submissive role in the bedroom.

Sebastian chuckled, "I have, but it's not really my style. I prefer to be the one in control in my life and that includes the bedroom." He pulled Ciel back so the slate head could rest on his shoulder again, breathing the scent of his lover's hair.

"How many times?" The young man knew he should just drop the topic, but he was still having a difficult time picturing the VP being bent over and fucked from behind, screaming out in uncontrolled waves of pleasure. Then a more sinister thought became apparent, if Sebastian had been the submissive then that must mean that someone had dominated him and who possibly could have been able to pull that off?

"Not often, during college mostly. I was more curious then, but once I started topping, I never wanted to go back to bottoming." Red eyes cast down to look at Ciel's face, "Why? Is there something about my abilities that you would like to log a complaint about?" he teased. Ciel's head shook furiously, the immediate action made Sebastian laugh and he hugged the small body closer to him.

"Ciel's there's no need to worry about what or who I did things with in the past, that doesn't matter anymore." Sebastian gently stoked the soft dark locks, feeling his lover relax at the reassurance. "Nobody mattered to me like this before you. I never made love to anyone before last night, so it was a first for me to." Ciel smiled as he felt soft lips press onto his forehead and he yawned, suddenly very sleepy and comfortable. He allowed his eyes to slip shut and he dozed off, listening to Sebastian's steady rhythmic breathing.

* * *

"You keep saying, you got something for me. Something you call love but confess." Alois sang as he skipped through the Flatiron District, one arm linked through Ciel's. He hummed the rest of the bars until the got to the part he wanted, "One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you." The blonde flashed a wide grin to his friend who shook his head and rolled his eyes at his roommate.

The pair were on a mission. Alois had started a new job serving drinks at Boxer's, a gay sports bar, and Ciel was on the hunt for a Valentine's Day gift for Sebastian. Just like Christmas, the young man was faced the problem of once again trying to find a gift for his lover, and just like before he was coming up blank. But unlike last time, Ciel didn't even have his virginity to offer up on a platter again, he was really out of ideas now.

Sensing how quiet his friend had become, Alois decided to broach the subject. "Are you still worrying over what you're going to give Sebastian for Valentine's Day?" The quick averting of blue eyes was confirmation enough for the blonde and he shook his head sadly. "Ciel, Ciel, Ciel, when are you ever going to learn?"

The blonde stopped his hopping and turned to stand in front of his roommate. Placing both hands on the small shoulders, he watched as Ciel nibbled on his lower lip like he always did when he was deep in thought. "Don't you get it by now that there is nothing you can buy that man to make him happy." Alois sighed, shaking his friend's form lightly. "All he wants to do is keep you trapped naked in his high-rise condo and make sweet love to you until you both pass out from exhaustion. So, quit looking around for some stupid trinket and just give the poor man what he wants, ok?" Ciel laughed out loud at the blunt and simple answer the question that had been plaguing him for days.

"I'll keep that in mind." Ciel smiled, his roommate looking very satisfied with himself. "You'd better get going. You're going to be late for work." He smiled, nodding down the street in the direction of the bar.

Alois dropped his roommate's arm and proceeded to walk down the sidewalk to his work's entrance. Shaking his ass for Ciel before waltzing into his new place of work. The action had Ciel laughing again before turning around and going about the errands he had planned for rest of the Sunday afternoon. His mind at ease now knowing exactly what he was going to be giving Sebastian for the upcoming holiday this week; a plan forming in his head.

* * *

Valentine's Day fell on a Thursday and Ciel sat at his desk in the afternoon ironing out the final details of his gift to Sebastian in his mind. The assistant had no idea what the older man had planned for this evening's events, but he knew that they would both end up naked and panting at some point. A fact that suited the younger male just fine.

While reading over an email, Ciel noticed a shadow hover over his desk. Looking up, his blue eyes were met by dirty blonde mop and wide grin that was Bard. The man had a bad habit of standing around quietly until you detected him and only then did he give, what Bard thought, was a funny opener.

Ciel" Bard drawled out, "Happy Valentine's Day. You got any plans this evening?" Before the assistant could stop and think about the question, he replied.

"Nope. Not that I know of yet." As soon as the words slipped out, Ciel instantly regretted it. The only reason Bard would ask such a question is if he had another activity in mind, one that seemed to involve his boss's assistant at the moment. Eyeing the man cautiously, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, since, it's Valentine's Day and seeing how none of us have anything to do." Bard's grin grew even wider as he leered over the desk, "I think it's only acceptable that we go out tonight in search of some companionship, don't you?" Ciel stared up as his jaw dropped at the comment.

"You want to find a prostitute?" He whispered, disbelief layering his voice. Bard let out a nervous laugh, practically jumping away from Ciel's desk.

"No! No, nothing like that, Ciel! God!" The blonde's face was bright red as his head swung back and forth, fervently denying the assumption. "I meant, how about you, me, Finny and Michaelis hitting up Scores? Hmmm, how about it?" Ciel's brows furrowed at the suggestion.

He didn't know what Sebastian had planned, but he guessed it couldn't hurt to go out for a drink before they went on their merry way for the evening. But what caliber of single girl Bard was hoping to find on February 14th in a sports bar was beyond him. Not seeing the harm, Ciel nodded and gave his coworker a smile in confirmation.

"Woo-hoo!" Bard cried, punching a fist in the air. "This is going to great. I'm going to tell Finny and you let Michealis know that his calendar just got booked for the evening." Ciel watched as the blonde stalked down the hallway, calling the receptionist's name, the act making him giggle to himself before looking back to his computer.

"What's so funny?" Asked a low voice asked from behind. Ciel looked over his shoulder before turning in his chair to see Sebastian leaning against the frame of his office door, a small smirk on his face. "I came out to see what all the commotion was about."

"Oh, nothing. Bard was just making plans for you this evening." Ciel smiled, "Don't worry, I don't think it will take long." He raised a knowing eyebrow to his lover, who just cocked his head to the side.

"Alright. Where are we going?" He asked with curiosity, Sebastian had some plans for the evening, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be moved around a bit to include another social gathering beforehand.

"Scores." Ciel stated confidently. "I know you're not a big sports fan, but it will only be for a little while and . . ." His sentence faded out as Ciel watched the expression on his boss's face slowly change to one of surprise. "What?" The younger male demanded.

Licking his lips, the older male smiled. "Ciel, Scores is not a sport bar." Sebastian explained slowly, keeping their gazes locked. "It's a strip club." He watched as his assistant's face paled of all color, mouthing hanging open again.

Like, a topless dancer bar?" Ciel squeaked out, his head suddenly feeling light. Sebastian chuckled at the situation and the mistake his naïve lover had made. Such a place would be lost on the two of them and it wasn't the VP's first choice on how to spend a romantic evening, but it would be amusing to see how the young male would react to being a place a debauchery.

"Don't worry about it. You'll be fine." Waving a hand in Ciel's direction, Sebastian turned and went back into his office, still chuckling. Leaving his assistant to contemplate what horror he had just agreed them too.

* * *

Ciel buried his face into his hands again, trying desperately to remove the embarrassed look from his expression. A loud whooping sound that could only be coming from Bard pulled his attention away from the darkness of his palms and back into reality.

The dirty blonde sat a few feet away from Ciel on small velvet loveseat in the VIP room of the Scores Gentlemen's Club, a scantily clad girl positioned on his lap. The man let the dancer run her fingers through his hair while whispering coyly in his ear. Bard leaned up to say something to his new friend and the comment earned him slew of giggles from the bleached blonde who placed a well-manicured hand on the breast of his suit jacket.

Rolling his eyes, Ciel turned to look at Finny on his left. He was certain that the only person more uncomfortable in the strip club than him at the moment was the office's receptionist. The usually talkative and cheerful male had a look of absolute terror on his face. His green eyes wide and mouth slacked open, only nodding as a response to any questions directed his way.

Ciel frowned at the reaction, he had never thought to ask if Finny had a girlfriend, but by the looks of it now, it was becoming apparent that he didn't. And being in a room with so many topless women was giving the young man sensory overload. Ciel thought over the idea of asking Finny about his current situation and figured now was as good a time as any.

"You doing ok over there, Finny?" Ciel yelled over the loud music at his coworker. He gave the blonde a happy grin in hopes of engaging him in conversation.

"Oh, yeah, I'm find Ciel." Finny nodded, his wide eyes roaming around the room again.

Ciel followed his gaze, "Cuz you look kinda scared at the moment." Finny shook his head at the assumption and leaned over to give an explanation.

"I'm not, it's just" He stopped for a minute, mulling over his reasoning. "I wonder how all these beautiful ladies end up here doing this." The green eyes followed a tall brunette dressed in a lacy white corset and thigh high stockings make her way across the room.

Ciel shrugged his shoulders, not having put much thought into how these girls got into this business. He just figured that they needed income and the money was good. Besides, it's not like all the men in here were sleazy and scary. As if proving his point, Ciel's eyes flickered across from where he sat to land on Sebastian, the man calmly sipping on a glass of bourbon on the rocks.

He took in the relaxed posture of his boss's body, as the man's scarlet eyes moved about the room, a hint of amusement shone at the happenings around them. The attractive brunette in white walked over and she leaned close to Sebastian's ear, whispering something, a sly smile on her lips. He laughed at the comment and crooked his finger at her so he could whisper something in return in her ear.

Ciel rolled his eyes and snorted, of course his boss was comfortable here. He looked every bit the part of the powerful executive with his drink in one hand and every girl trying to get him into a room for a private dance. It bothered his assistant a bit to see just how many women made advances toward his lover, even though Ciel knew Sebastian wasn't going to take any of them up on their offers.

"Hey, Ciel, Finny!" Both young men looked up to see Bard standing with a girl in each arm. The man looked like he was having the time of his life and drunk to boot. "Harmony and Britney here wanna give you boys a dance." Both girls giggled at the invitation and one of them, reached out to grab Ciel's wrist.

Shifting out of the way, Ciel looked over at Finny, "I think Finny wants to get to know Britney better." He shoved at his coworker's back and the blonde stood up, still looking shocked. "I'm going to sit this one out, ok?"

Bard laughed at the reluctance from both his colleagues. "Come on, Finny. We'll have a good time!" He coaxed, while one of the dancers smiled and wrapped her arm around the young man's waist. Finny nodded and swallowed hard, before walking away with the trio. Bard gave a slight wave and a wink to Sebastian before disappearing behind a curtained area.

Ciel let out a long breath and slumped back against the couch, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples with his fingers. The loud music pumping in the background wasn't helping him with what was sure to be a nasty headache later on in the evening. This was not how he had wanted to spend Valentine's Day with Sebastian.

"Hey honey," A soft smooth voice spoke, causing Ciel to snap open his eyes and see the brunette that had been talking to his boss only moments before hovering over him. She smiled sweetly, her silver eyes hidden under layers of mascara and glittered eye shadow. "Want some company?"

Ciel scrambled to sit upright, his mouth falling open, not knowing what to say. His gaze drifted over the bare shoulder to his boss who just sat, watching the interaction unfolding before him. Smirking at the way his assistant squirmed in apprehension of the female in front of him.

"I, um, no, I'm fine." He squeaked out, scowling at the look of amusement on his boss's face. It was obvious that Sebastian was not going to help him out with this. She giggled in response to the young male's behavior.

"How about a dance then?" She smiled again, leaning in to whisper in Ciel's ear. "You can bring your friend there. I don't mind if he watches." The girl stepped back and looked over her shoulder at Sebastian who nodded. She giggled and grabbed Ciel's hand, pulling him off the couch. "Follow me." She directed, motioning for the two men to follow her out of the VIP room.

Walking down a long hallway, Ciel shot Sebastian a dirty look, knowing that this was what his boss had been talking about to the dancer before. They walked side by side, following the sway of the dancer's hips.

"You're an asshole." Ciel hissed under his breath, making sure the girl in front of them wouldn't hear him.

"What?" Sebastian feigned shock, his mouth upturning slightly in the corner.

"You know what. You planned this whole thing." Ciel gave his lover another dirty look, shaking his head.

"I have absolutely no idea what you are taking about, Ciel." Sebastian chuckled as they reached the end of the hallway and were escorted through a set of dark velvet curtains and into a small room.

It was dimly lit, the mirrors that lined the walls making the space look bigger than it really was. There was a small couch covered in a dark fabric along with a chair in front of it. In the corner there was silver pole, which Ciel could only guess was for various dance tricks. The only saving grace was how quiet the space was, there was only the slightest beat of the bass from the area they had been in previously, although, it still wasn't helping Ciel's oncoming headache.

"Alright, boys. How would you like to do this?" The dancer whirled around to face her two customers, smiling. "Do you want it at the same time? Or one before the other?" She motioned with her hand to the loveseat and then to the chair.

Clearing his throat, "Him." Sebastian nodded towards Ciel with his head. "I just want to watch." Ciel's head snapped to glare at his boss, his mouth opening and closing silently. It was humiliating enough that this was happening, but now he going to have to endure this alone with Sebastian watching. It just wasn't fair.

The brunette nodded and shrugged, "Ok, sure. It's not the usual request, but whatever floats your boat, I guess." She walked forward and wrapped her fingers around Ciel's wrist, gently pulling him over to the loveseat. "Come here, sweetie. Just sit back and relax. Sierra is going to make sure you have a good time." She crooned, pushing the young male down onto the couch.

She nodded at Sebastian to take a seat in the chair behind her and then stood up to cross the room to fiddle with the stereo system. Ciel shot his boss another deadly glare and mouthed, 'I hate you' to the older male. Sebastian smirked and settled into the seat across from him.

The sultry sound of Throwing Muses'  _Snakeface_  filled the room and Sierra sauntered over to where Ciel sat, his hands resting limply at his sides, not knowing what to do with them. She smiled sweetly and began to dance in front of Ciel, her hips swaying side to side with the sultry beat, hands running over her curves.

Ciel's eyes grew wide and he blushed when the dancer quickly whirled around and bent over to shake her ass directly in his face. Not knowing where to look, he took a quick peek over the woman's body to stare at Sebastian. He watched a long finger tap thoughtfully on the strong chin, red eyes looking back intently.

Ciel narrowed his eyes, taking in how Sebastian seemed to be completely unfazed at the moment, well, two can play that game. If Sebastian wanted to watch, then Ciel would put on one hell of show. A wicked smile slowly spread over the younger male's face as a plan began to form in his mind.

The dancer stood up again, arms raising over her head, gathering the long hair on her crown. She peeked over her shoulder at Ciel and smiled, winking as she rolled her hips to the rhythm. Shooting the woman a sly smirk, the young male lifted his hand to motion for her to come closer with his finger.

Sierra giggled and whirled around, landing her knees on the couch, straddling Ciel's thighs. She sat in his lap, gyrating her body to the music, one hand pressing onto his chest while the other gripped the head rest of the couch for leverage. The assistant glanced around her body to shoot a wide grin to Sebastian. The older male cocked an eyebrow at Ciel's expression and took another sip of his drink.

"I don't usually do this, but," The dancer whispered in Ciel's ear, "You can put your hands on me, but be nice." She giggled again and Ciel threw caution to the wind, placing both his hands on the dancer's thighs, squeezing the supple flesh slightly. The girl hummed in approval at the action and continued to her movements if nothing had happened.

The executive wasn't watching with innocent interest anymore. Red eyes were on fire as he watched the younger male seem to enjoy the light touches and the way the dancer gave him a lap dance.

Ciel grinned even more as he watched Sebastian's expression grow more irate.  _Serves him right,_ he thought, humming to himself with glee at having his boss's plan backfire on him. Feeling braver, Ciel kept Sebastian's eyes locked with his as he leaned his neck to the side, allowing the dancer wrap her hand behind his head and lean backwards, pretending to ride the young man.

Sebastian clenched a fist next to his chin, teeth gritting as he became more upset with each passing moment. The sight that had Ciel's inner 10 year old jumping around with glee at the thought of getting away with something he shouldn't. High on the feeling of success, Ciel slowly closed his eyes and bit softly into his lower lip, a reaction Sebastian normally only saw when he teased the younger man's body with his tongue.

"Enough!" The loud command snapped open Ciel's eyes and the dancer stopped her movements to look over her shoulder to where the sound had come from.

Sebastian stood from his seated position and strode purposefully over to the love seat, his face dark with some sort of serious emotion.  _Oh, shit!_ Ciel thought, eyes widening with shock as long fingers wrapped around his wrist; jerking him to a standing position and the girl tumbling by the wayside on the couch.

Hey! What the?" The dancer complained, trying desperately to stand up from where she had landed. "Wait! Your time isn't up yet!" Sebastian shot her a hard look and she shut her mouth.

"We're finished here." His voice low and smooth. Reaching into his back pocket, the VP took out his wallet and fished out some cash. He threw the bills down at the startled silver eyes as he proceeded to drag a speechless Ciel out of the room. "Thank you for your services. That will be all." He stated curtly.

Ciel struggled after his boss, trying to keep up with the long strides in front of him. They walked out the way they came in, but instead of heading back to the VIP room, Sebastian led them down the opposite way of the hall. The assistant had no idea where they were headed, but he was beginning to regret his rash decision to mess with Sebastian during the lap dance.

Sebastian gripped the handle of a door around a corner and wrenched it open, pulling Ciel in front of him and shoving the young man into the dark room. Ciel spun around as he heard the door slam shut and the distinct sound of a lock clicking into place. He gave a hard swallow as he realized that Sebastian stood between him and the only way out of the small dark space.


	15. Chapter 15

"Sebastian?" Ciel asked nervously, his eyes trying to adjust to the almost nonexistent light in the dark room. The smell of chemicals told the young man that they were in a utility room of some kind and if he squinted he could barely make out some shelves on a far wall. He swallowed hard as he began to understand the severity of his situation; he was stuck in a small, dark space with an angry Sebastian standing between him and the only way out.

Ciel shrieked in fear as he felt long fingers wrap around his neck, forcing him back; air huffed past his lips as his body made impact with the cold concrete wall. Small hands blindly rose to grasp around the strong wrist that was keeping him pinned to place, pulling to no avail and Ciel gasped as he felt Sebastian's warm body press up against his own.

Sebastian released his grip only to reach around the nape of his lover's neck, grabbing a handful of slate hair and yanking down harshly. Lips crashed down fiercely onto Ciel's upturned parted mouth, his protest muffled by the older man's tongue. Teeth clicked and tongues rolled over one another as Ciel's hands now tore at his lover's back, pulling him closer.

"Ahmmnnn." Ciel breathed into Sebastian's mouth, feeling incredibly aroused by the rough treatment of his body at the moment.  
Hips rolled up into Sebastian's thigh, grinding his erection viciously into the muscle and Ciel mewled at the friction. A low growl left Sebastian's throat and he reached down to cup the hard bulge in his palm. Ciel groaned in response to the action and moved his head to the side so that his lover could attack his neck. The older male complied and nipped harshly at the soft skin, sucking hard, wanting to leave a mark.

The steady beat of the music in the club pounded in Ciel's ears as his heart thumped erratically in his chest, lust seeping through his body. To his surprise, he became even more aroused when he felt teeth bite down hard near his jugular. It stung and he was almost sure that Sebastian had drawn some blood. His lover lapped at the bite, almost as if apologizing for the action.

"Turn around." Sebastian ordered lowly, his breathing ragged as he fumbled with the button on Ciel's trousers.

Before the young man could respond, he was spun around by the arm, his cheek and body landing flat against the cold wall. His hand splayed itself out on the hard surface, bracing his body for what was to come. Ciel shivered with anticipation, his entire being on high alert for whatever would happen next.

Trousers and boxers were tugged off the slender frame and Ciel stepped out of the constraining fabric that pooled around his ankles. A warm hand wrapped around his member and began pumping the shaft slowly.

"Ahhhh, Sebastian." He moaned loudly, his hips trying in to vain to thrust into the hand. Ciel whined when he realized that his body was given no room to move, but instead was pressed even further into the frigid wall by Sebastian's tall frame. He bit his lip and shut his eyes in pleasure as the stroking picked up, heat starting to coil in the pit of his stomach.

The sound of clothing not his own almost went unnoticed by Ciel until he felt the heat of Sebastian's naked hard length press into his backside. Moaning, the young male pushed back against the hot muscle, using what little space he had to tease the organ with his fleshy let out a low grunt at the feeling, pushing himself harder against the writhing body being held captive between him and the wall.

"You're mine," he breathed possessively against the back of Ciel's neck. "No one else gets to touch you." His lover's breath was hot and a hard bite was delivered to the sensitive skin making Ciel gasp at the feeling, his eyes rolling back into the back of his head.

The hot palm left Ciel's aching member and he whined softly at the loss of contact. Sebastian reached down and jerked one of the young male's knees up; letting the crook rest on top of his forearm now pressing his hand flat against the wall for support. Sebastian held up both their bodies with Ciel balancing with only a ball of one foot on the floor.

Ciel felt very exposed, his thighs spread wide, back turned to his lover, and his weeping member bouncing in the air in front of him. The young male found that he had to arch is lower back out to keep the sensitive flesh from being raked across the cold concrete wall. Incidentally, the action was forcing his hips further into Sebastian's arousal and Ciel could feel the large wet head brush over his entrance with every breath he took.

A slurping sound was heard as Sebastian sucked on his fingers, coating them thoroughly with saliva before pushing two of them past the tight ring of muscles displayed before him. The orifice clenched as it tried to expel the intrusion and the older male moaned with want at the thought of pushing himself into the welcoming heat.

"Ah, God!" Ciel cried as he felt the long digits start thrust in and out of him. He tried to push back into the fingers, but once again found he couldn't move much. Ciel had absolutely no control over his own pleasure at the moment, his release lay solely in the hands in the man behind him.

A third finger was added and Sebastian continued to pulsate at a slow rhythm, the way Ciel was angled allowed him to slide them in even further. He hoisted the knee up a bit higher, spreading the young male more open. A loud moan escaped from Ciel's mouth as the pads of Sebastian's fingers brushed over the prostate.

"Mmm, F-fuck!" Ciel's fingers clawed at the cold wall, trying to find purchase, anything to grab onto as each pass Sebastian made over the bundle of nerves sent sparks of pleasure through him. He could feel the pre-cum trickle down his erection and his legs trembled, a combination of pleasure and fatigue from his odd stance. "Fuck me! Pl-please . . . Seba" Ciel begged, his plea fading out in favor of air.

The fingers withdrew themselves with a low popping sound. Sebastian wrapped the hand over his own aching member, giving it a few quick pumps, swiping pre-cum over the turgid flesh for lubrication. Placing the bulbous head in front of the puckered entrance, he slowly guided it into Ciel's hole. A low groan rumbled through Sebastian's chest as he felt the muscles clench around him, the heat making the older man want nothing more than to start thrusting in and out at a brutal pace.

Fully sheathed, Sebastian held still, placing his lips next to Ciel's ear, "Whose are you, Ciel?" He whispered, tongue darting out to lick the shell of his lover's ear. Ciel moaned, both from the question and feeling completely full from Sebastian's cock. To emphasize his point, Sebastian thrust his hips up, the tip of his head brushing over Ciel's spot.

White hot pleasure shot through Ciel and he could barely think straight. His mind trying to find ways to rock himself back and forth on the hot member in him, but Ciel found gravity was working against him. Instead he was practically sitting in Sebastian's lap, his ass spread wide for his lover to do with him as he pleased.

Another pass was made and Ciel cried out, "Y-yours! I'm . . .ah . . . yours!" He panted heavily, eyes closed, a sweaty cheek resting against the cool wall. He could feel Sebastian's whole body vibrate as the man purred at the words. A warm tongue trailed slowly from just above Ciel's collar into the hair at the nape of his neck, licking up sweat.

Sebastian smacked his lips at the salty taste, before rolling his hips up, using a sweeping motion to push in the most intimate places of his lover's body. "Good boy," the older man cooed, "It would do you good to remember that."

He was Sebastian's, every fiber of his being knew that. "I am, I am . . . ple-lease! I- I need . . . Ahhhnnn" Ciel cried out as another hard thrust was given to his prostate. Panting, "Cum, I n-need to cum!" He screamed, nails scrapping along the wall.

"Not yet." Sebastian whispered deviously, reaching his free hand down to wrap around Ciel's wet member. Ciel groaned in delight, but his pleasure was cut short when Sebastian tightly gipped the base of his erection instead of stroking it. "I don't think you've learned your lesson yet." He breathed and began to thrust into Ciel at an unrelenting pace.

Sebastian grunted as he worked to hold up Ciel's body and snap his hips in and out of the tight entrance. Ciel mewled and cried out in intense pleasure, his orgasm kept at bay because of lover's fingers encircling his throbbing length. The young male reached behind Sebastian to grab onto the bare ass, fingers digging hard into the flexing muscles.

Somewhere past the lust filled haze, Sebastian knew he shouldn't be doing this. Fucking his lover against a wall in a strip club so carelessly when the young male had just lost his virginity not so long ago. Someone could very easily walk in on the pair and there would be hell to pay for it. But the primal side of the older male couldn't care less, when it came to Ciel; he seemed to have no control over his desires. Sebastian shoved these thoughts aside and concentrated on the sweet noises that flowed from his lover's mouth.

"Oh, God. Fuck, Ciel," He moaned loudly, feeling his rough pace begin to falter as his own orgasm was now within reach. A few more thrusts and Sebastian would be spilling himself into his lover. "Now," Sebastian panted, dropping Ciel's now almost purple dick to grab a slender hip, "Cum now." He demanded. Ciel cried out loudly as he came hard and fast, his spasming muscles pushing his lover over the edge with him.

Cries of pleasure spilled from Ciel and he slumped against the cool wall for support; Sebastian still moaning and milking his cock into the abused hole.

The older male stepped back, his now soft member pulling out and arm letting Ciel's strained leg drop down to the floor to meet its twin. Sebastian's arms both shot out and pulled his lover down to the ground to sit on his lap. Ciel didn't think he could walk after what they had just done and happily allowed himself to be cradled in Sebastian's strong grip.

Light kisses were placed all over Ciel's sweaty forehead and the younger male hummed in contentment of feeling doted upon. Blue eyes were shut and Ciel rested against his lover's shoulder wanting nothing more than to sleep at the moment. Even the wet feeling that escaped from his bottom wasn't enough to make the young man want to get up and clean himself.

Sebastian mumbled quiet 'I love you's' into the warm skin and he shifted Ciel slightly to give a slow, soft kiss to the pink lips. He knew that they couldn't stay here for too much longer. Someone would begin wondering where they had gone off to.

They would clean up a bit before going back into the VIP room, but no one would question their slightly rumpled state after just having had a lap dance in a strip club. But for now, Sebastian was happy to just hold and cuddle with Ciel in the dark room.

* * *

Claude scowled at his monitor, not liking what he was reading. Another client had decided to use a different equity firm instead of FPE and the London VP growled in frustration at the email. This was the second client in London of theirs that had not been happy with level of service they had been receiving. Apparently, the client felt that FPE had grown too large to give them the desired amount of attention and had moved on to a smaller boutique firm.

"Imbeciles." Claude growled as he deleted the email. The CEO was not going to happy with this and would most likely come down on the executive for not being hands-on enough with the clients. But with the London office expanding so quickly, there was little time to dote on smaller companies and Claude was forced to pay more attention to the bigger fish in FPE's repertoire. However, the CEO wouldn't see it that way.

With a heavy sigh, Claude pushed away from his desk and grabbed his wool coat as he walked out of his office. It was late, about 10:30 pm on Valentine's Day, but golden-eyed man had nowhere else to be other than at the office tonight. It's not like he had any romantic plans with his wife.

A flash of blonde hair and icy blue eyes flitted through his mind and Claude sighed again as he leaned against the brick wall of the outside of the building, digging in his pockets for a cigarette and lighter. Igniting the stick between his lips, the man took a long drag of smoke.

The tryst with the boy couldn't go anywhere, Claude had known that since day one, but that didn't make him want the young male any less. Alois was supposed to be just a fun romp in the sack while he was on business in New York, but the more time they spent apart the more the VP seemed to miss the lighthearted company of his lover.

But now there was a new element in Claude's plan for power. Ever since the CEO had sent his executive to find out as much information on Ciel Phantomhive as possible, the man knew the boy was special. Why, the VP wasn't sure, but Mr. Funtom didn't waste his curiosity on just anybody, which meant anything having to do with the younger male was important and could possibly hold sway over the CEO. A trump card that Claude would very much like to have if he ever wanted to step into the position of CEO of FPE.

The only real obstacle in the executive's way now was Sebastian. The New York VP was involved with the younger male and if Claude wanted to move forward in his plan, he was going to have to put an end to that at some point. He mulled over a few ideas in his head, but finally decided on letting the couple just implode upon themselves.

It would happen eventually since Sebastian would never let the relationship go public and Ciel would get tired of keeping his entire life hidden from his family and friends. And when it all went to pieces around them, Claude would be right there to help Ciel back on his feet. A dark smirk grew on Claude's face as he thought about his devious plan.

Shaking his dark locks and the idea from his mind, Claude reached into his other pocket to pull out his blackberry and quickly dialed an international number. It rang a few times before being picked up.

'Hello?' the voice asked, thick with sleep.

'How's my little chorus boy?" Claude chuckled, a genuine smile gracing his features.

'Claude!" Alois yelped, excited and fully awake now. 'Baby, Happy Valentine's Day! I miss you!'

'Mmm, yes, I bet you do." The VP hummed with satisfaction. 'Wouldn't it be brilliant if I were there so you could show me just how much you miss me.'

'Well, then get your ass over here!' The blonde huffed and Claude could just picture the younger male pouting.

'I would love to, darling, but unfortunately, I am needed here at the moment.' Glancing around quickly to see if anyone was nearby, Claude whispered, 'But until I do see you again, why don't you tell me what you would do if I were there.' There was a giggle over the line as Alois hummed in thought.

'Oh, I don't know.' He mused aloud. 'There are all sorts of things I would like to do with you. I have a new pair of boots that need to be broken in.' The blonde teased and Claude groaned at the mental image of banging his lover with his boots on.

'That would positively smashing, love.' Claude sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. 'I expect you to make good on that promise the next time I see you.' He took the final drag off his cigarette before flicking it away.

'And when will that be? There are only so many ways I can fuck myself while thinking of you, you know.' Alois giggled again, knowing that he was driving his lover insane with desire at his words.

'God, fuck, Alois' Claude breathed; shutting his eyes and slamming his head back against the wall. 'Don't say such fucking things when I can't do anything about it. I'm going to be hard all night picturing that.'

The blonde hummed with delight, 'Well, then you'd best take care of that little problem before it gets out of hand.' Alois snickered and sighed happily.

'I will, don't worry about that, chorus boy.' The older male pushed himself off the wall, 'I need to get going. Standing out in the cold wanting something I can't have will get me nowhere tonight.'

'Alright.' Alois agreed, his voice taking on a sad tone. 'I guess I'll talk to you later.'

'Go fuck yourself good, Alois and I'll do the same to myself thinking of you tonight.' Claude smirked, already knowing what he would be doing when he got back into the privacy of his office. 'Night, love.'

'Night, Claude.' Alois said softly and the call ended.

Making his way back into the building, Claude tried to ignore the pang in his chest as he thought about Alois. A small voice in the back of Claude's mind told him that using the blonde for his own personal gain was wrong, but he quickly quieted the thought. He knew what he doing was less than noble, but in the end it would all serve a purpose.

Until that time though, the executive would lay low and keep his relationship going with Alois so he could keep an eye on Ciel and Sebastian. This was about power, not emotions and if there was one thing Claude Faustus loved more than anything else in the world, it was power.

* * *

A contented sigh was muffled as Ciel rolled over face first onto a fluffy pillow. He kept his eyes closed as he breathed in deeply through his nose, letting the scent of Sebastian wash over his senses. Blue eyes fluttered open when the young male realized that he was alone in the massive bed.

Ciel sat up and rubbed his eyes, the daylight streaming brightly through the large windows of Sebastian's condo. Yawning and stretching, he looked over at the clock on that night stand and saw that is was well into mid-morning.  _Well, I guess we're not going into the office today,_ he thought, knowing that if they were his boss would have woken him up much earlier.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he got up and cringed as a dull pain throbbed in his lower back and rump. A hand flew back to rub the sore area and images of what happened the night before flashed through Ciel's mind.

Sebastian and Ciel had left the storage room after cleaning up a bit so it wouldn't be obvious of their recent activities. Walking back to the VIP area, they were surprised and pleased that neither Bard or Finny were in sight and Sebastian had decided that it was in their best interest if they just went home. Ciel looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion and the VP would like nothing better than to take a hot shower and sleep as well.

Ciel smirked to himself, thinking how much he had enjoyed their activities in the club, the memories already stirring arousal in him. He had never thought he would take such pleasure in being manhandled in such a way and was surprised at this new masochistic side of him he never knew existed. The young male's stomach growled and he decided to venture out of the bedroom and into the kitchen in search of food and his boss.

Sebastian looked up from his paperwork on the table as the soft sound of bare feet made their way across the slick tiles into the kitchen. Red eyes took in the sight of a sleepy Ciel in a white shirt and grey sweatpants and the older male smiled softly at the bed head in the slate colored hair.

"Morning." Sebastian greeted, arms reaching out to pull his lover into his lap. Ciel snuggled into the strong clothed chest and placed a quick kiss to the underside of the man's jaw, murmuring something that sounded like a 'good morning' into the skin. "Did you sleep well?" He asked pulling back a bit to gaze into the sapphire eyes.

Ciel nodded and glanced over to the piles of paperwork strewn about the glass tabletop. "So, we're not going into the office today, I take it?" A teasing looking was shot at the older male and Ciel smirked at the nod he got in response.

"It's quiet today so there's really no need for me to go in. Besides, I can get most of the things I need to get done from home." Sebastian hummed, his hand gently stroking Ciel's back.

"Ok, but how do explain me not being there?" Ciel teased, his eyes looking up at the older male's face, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

"I'm the boss." Sebastian replied, his eyes dancing. "All I have to say is that you are helping me with a client or some other business related activity and no one will question your whereabouts."

"That doesn't sound very ethical." Ciel pouted, "And I don't think it's a good use of the company's resources." The dark expression changed into a lighter one as the young man grinned up at his boss. "But since you're in charge I guess it doesn't matter what I think, so I'm just going to be a good little employee and follow your orders." Sebastian laughed as Ciel gave a firm salute with his hand before nuzzling back into the crook of the older male's neck.

"How are you feeling today?" Sebastian mumbled into the soft hair, his other hand massaging Ciel's hip lightly.

Ciel shrugged, "A little sore, but my lower back is killing me." An apology was muttered and the younger male sighed happily as strong fingers began to rub slow circles into his achy muscles. He hummed in delight as the stiffness melted away under the experienced hands.

"Better?" Sebastian whispered into Ciel's ear, earning a nod in response. "I'll have to remember to be more gentle with you next time." He hummed and the younger male pushed himself back to look into his lover's eyes.

"Next time?" Ciel's eyes wide with questioning and he hated to admit that the thought was pleasing.

"Yes, I thought you liked that last night." Sebastian's brows furrowed in confusion. "You don't want to do it again?" Ciel almost started laughing at the disappointed look that crossed his boss's face, but kept quiet instead.

"I did, it was . . ." Ciel mulled over his choice of words, "different. I didn't know I could like it like that." He nibbled his lower lip and glanced away, a blush creeping over his cheeks.

"Like what?" Sebastian teased; he wanted to hear Ciel say it, that the younger male had been as aroused as him last night by the prospect of having rough sex in a public place, granted a dark closet, but still the thrill of getting caught only added to the excitement of the situation.

Ciel glared back at the fake innocent expression on his boss's face and puffed out his cheeks. He didn't want to say it, what they had done just sounded so dirty, but just the thought of it made lust start to curl in his belly again. And Ciel wasn't quite sure how to deal with dichotomy of the two thoughts.

"That we, and, you with the wall," Ciel fumbled over his words, becoming more and more flustered as he tried to get them out. Sebastian chuckled at the sight and the younger male glared at him again. "Well, it's your fault for being so overbearing! Dragging me off like some sort of five year old getting punished. It was your idea anyways!"

Sebastian pulled Ciel closer to his body and ran his nose through the soft hair. "Yes, it was my fault, letting that stripper climb all over you." A low growl left his throat as he thought back to the scene. "But I realized while watching that I don't like people touching my things." The older man's fingertips brushed over the slim thighs on his lap and his hand came to settle on Ciel's clothed groin. The younger male's hips pushed up instinctively at the warm heat palming his member and Ciel had to remind himself to concentrate lest Sebastian use his libido against him.

Pushing the hand away, Ciel sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. "So, what? I'm a trinket that you can just claim as your own whenever you want?" Blue eyes challenged amused red ones and a smirk spread over the older man's face.

"Speaking of claiming and trinkets," Sebastian mused as he reached past Ciel to shuffle some papers around on the table. When his hand came back, there was a small blue box gripped in between his fingers. "I almost forgot to give you this." A quick kiss was placed on the younger male's head before the box was placed into surprised hands, "Happy Valentine's Day, Ciel."

Ciel stared down at the box, his mouth open and eyes wide with surprise. Carefully he popped open the top and took in a sharp breath when he eyed the contents. Nestled in the white fabric was a piece of jewelry, a silver ring with intricate designs twisting around itself and cradling a dark blue stone in the center. Ciel's fingers trembled slightly as he pulled the object from its nest, holding it up to the light as the gem sparkled.

Sebastian hummed to himself and swiftly plucked the item from Ciel, sliding it onto the small thumb of his lover. Ciel raised his hand and wiggled his fingers in the air. "It's a bit bigger than I thought." Sebastian mumbled, "I can get it adjusted and resized for you." Ciel shook his head from side to side furiously at the notion.

"No, it's fine the way it is. I like it on my thumb." He mused, before leaning over to give Sebastian a quick peck on the lips. "Thank you. It's beautiful." Ciel murmured his eyes bright with excitement.

"You're very welcome." Sebastian shifted Ciel again so the younger male could cuddle closer into his neck. "I saw it while in London. Some noble family was having an estate sale and the stone reminded me of your eyes." A hand brushed the slate locks out of the way so he could look into the blue orbs.

"Is that the only reason you got it for me?" Ciel nibbled on his lower lip, a small blush creeping back into his face.

Sebastian pondered for a moment before answering, "No, I wanted to put a claim on you." The pout he received to the answer had the older man continue with an explanation, "Even though we can't be public about our relationship I wanted to give you something that would tell the world that you were taken. Subtly though." His index finger traced over the stone and lifted Ciel's hand to place a soft kiss on it.

Ciel wrapped his arms around Sebastian's neck and pulled their lips together. Tongues rolled lazily over each other as the kiss stayed soft and sweet, hands gently caressed one another. Sebastian smirked against the delectable mouth before nipping at the plump lower lip.

"We really should stop this." The older male mumbled as he pressed light kisses to Ciel's jaw and throat. "I'm not going to get any work done this way." Ciel whined in protest and just held onto to Sebastian with more force.

"But I haven't gotten to give you your Valentine's Day gift yet." Ciel whispered into Sebastian's ear, the hot breath causing the older male to shiver. Sitting back, Sebastian gave the younger male a reprimanding look.

"Ciel, you didn't need to buy me anything. I already have everything I want in you." A slow smile began to spread across Ciel's face and he tilted his head to side, eyes wide and blinking.

"Who said it was anything that I bought you?" He stifled a giggled as watched understanding wash over Sebastian's face. The older male smiled back, only this one had the dark look of intent attached to it.

"Well, then," Sebastian drawled out. "By all means, give it to me."

Before Ciel could comprehend what was happening he was hanging over Sebastian's shoulder and being carried into the bedroom. He thrashed around, trying to find a way down, but received a sharp smack to his bottom for wiggling too much.

"Ow! That hurt!" Ciel complained as another quick slap collided with his clothed rump. "Put me down, this instant, Sebastian!"

The older male laughed as he plopped his precious cargo onto the unmade bed. Red eyes glimmered as he eyed his lover with interest and anticipation.

Nothing productive was getting done today now, Sebastian was sure of it.


	16. Chapter 16

"Mmm, naah," Ciel moaned loudly as Sebastian's fingers tweaked his nipples, teeth nipping softly at the smooth skin of the slender torso. Slim thighs were spread apart under the older man and Ciel ran his fingers through the silky black locks for something to hold onto. Sebastian had been teasing his lover's body like this since Ciel's back had hit the mattress and even though both still possessed all their clothing, the younger male was having trouble focusing on his original intent of getting his lover in the bed to begin with.

"Seba . . . stop." Ciel panted out, another moan escaping as the warm tongue dragged slowly across his hip bone. His fingers tugged upwards on his lover's hair, pulling a grinning face up to lock eyes with their owner.

"I'm sorry, my love. I thought you were enjoying this." Sebastian purred, his red eyes burning with lust. A pink tongue slipped out between the red lips so the very tip just barely grazed over the skin below. Ciel did his best not to let his eyes roll back into his head and shook it vigorously instead.

"I do, trust me, it's just" Ciel propped himself up on his elbows, forcing Sebastian to scoot back off his body and in between his knees. "I had other things I wanted to do here today." The younger male cringed at how formal the statement sounded, but if he didn't voice it now, things would just continue at the pace they were going and all his careful planning would be ruined.

Sebastian cocked his head to the side, red eyes curious. "Alright." He stated as he crawled over to Ciel's side before rolling onto his back. "I am at your disposal. Do with me what you will." He smirked.

Ciel grinned at the submissive sight and leaned over to place a sensual kiss onto his lover's lips. Slowly, the young male made his way on top of his lover, his thighs flanking the slender hips and the kisses traveled their way down the soft neck, nibbling lightly along the way.

Ciel pushed the fabric of Sebastian's shirt up so his mouth could trail kisses over the hard chest and abdomen. The older male laced his finger through the slate hair, humming with approval at the ministrations of his body. Both shirts were discarded and Ciel began to lick and kiss softly and, oh so slowly, just above the waistband of Sebastian's sweat pants.

The VP gasped when all of a sudden, Ciel pulled his pants down from his waist and exposing his fully erect member to the cool room temperature. He hadn't been wearing any underwear and Ciel smirked at how simple that process had been, positioning his body between the strong thighs.

"Ciel, put it in your mouth." Sebastian begged, his breathing ragged; eyes shut tight. He loved a good teasing as much as the next person, but if his assistant didn't do something soon, he was going to have to flip the younger male over and have his way with him; foreplay be damned.

Ciel blew a hot breath onto the leaking head and the older male squirmed some, his hips rolling up unconsciously toward where the heat was coming from. Chuckling, the younger male took a moment to enjoy watching his lover pant beneath him. It was a side of Sebastian that only he got to see; the strong powerful man brought down to a writhing mess of want and need right before his assistant's eyes. It was an exquisite sight and by the end of this romp, Ciel hoped to see his boss completely fall apart under his touch.

Ignoring his own confined erection, Ciel leaned forward and pressed his flattened out tongue against the weeping head. Placing one hand on struggling hips and the other wrapping firmly around the thick base of the shaft, he squeezed slightly.

"Ah, fuck." Sebastian panted, his hips pushing up only to meet the resistance of a downward pressing palm. He loved it when Ciel gave him head, never in the VP's life had anyone done as good a job as his assistant was doing now. He was inexperienced, yes, but his lover more than made up for it in eagerness. "Suck it. Please." He begged and the younger male didn't need any more encouragement; fully engulfing the turgid flesh with one swallow.

Sebastian cried out and gripped the slate locks fiercely as his lover sucked and slurped his cock roughly. The older male enjoyed it a little rough and he hissed in delight as small teeth ever so slightly scraped over the slick pillar. Ciel's head bobbed up and down, allowing as much saliva as possible run down over his fingers at the base. Because for what the assistant wanted to do next would most definitely require that.

While Sebastian moaned loudly and Ciel carefully removed his fingers from the cock's base, sliding the wet digits down to massage his lover's sac between them. The dual stimulation gave Sebastian a whole new reason to vocalize his pleasure and Ciel could feel the already strong grip in his hair pull even tighter. The action only made the younger male hum in satisfaction, the vibrations in his throat passing on to his partner's sensitive cock, earning him a choked growling sound in approval.

Giving an especially long suck, Ciel let go of the balls and lightly traced the puckered entrance with his index finger. He wasn't planning on straight out fucking Sebastian, but he did want to have his lover fall to pieces as he finger fucked him. Hearing no complaints from above, Ciel slowly pushed his slick digit past the tight ring of muscles and into the intense heat. As soon as the younger male was knuckle deep, a protest was sounded.

"N-no, Ciel." Sebastian panted, "I - I'm not going t-to bottom." He managed to get out, while attempting to wiggle his hips away in vain. "Ah, God!" the older male cried out in pleasure as Ciel sucked harder, pressing his tongue hard against the thick vein on the underside of the shaft and distracting him from the intrusion.

He patted his lover's hip lightly, reassuring Sebastian that he had heard him, but Ciel continued both his actions. Having his lover preoccupied, Ciel pushed another finger in, ignoring the quiet grunt of pain from overhead.

Ciel searched in the tight passage, his fingers pushing and probing, looking for that magical spot that would give Sebastian immense pleasure. When he had just about given up, he crooked his fingers and the older male's body jerked.

"Gah, Ahhhhh!" Sebastian cried his back arching off the bed. "Again!"

Ciel continued pounding his fingers at the same angle, each thrust earning another round of loud moans and profanities. The older male's hands now ripped at his lover's scalp and Ciel was sure he would be bald by the time this was over.

Nudging and sucking in tandem, Ciel listened to the glorious noises that were being spilled from above. He could feel Sebastian's thighs quiver by his head, time the heavy heartbeat from the organ in his mouth, hear the desperate cries of passion that filled the room creating the most beautiful symphony ever composed. His lover was close; Ciel knew it and swallowed deeply as the tip on the cock tapped the back of his throat.

"Je . . . Ciel!" Sebastian screamed, his hips thrusting violently as he came. Ciel swallowed again and again, milking his lover of his essence and prodding the hidden bundle of nerves with his fingertips.

Breaths began to even out and Ciel removed his fingers; letting the now soft member pop from his mouth to lie limply on its owner's thigh. His blue eyes looked up for the first time since he began this little adventure and Ciel was curious to see Sebastian's reaction.

A surprised gasp flew from his lips as large hands grabbed his shoulders, roughly pulling his body up and flush with a sweaty chest.

Ciel's mouth was claimed by Sebastian's urgent kiss, one arm keeping the small body pinned against him, while the other snaked down into the gray sweat pants, where Ciel still sported a rather noticeable erection. Releasing his mouth, the younger male gasped again when a warm palm wrapped around his forgone want and started to pump it rapidly.

Ciel mewled and grabbed Sebastian's shoulders for leverage, his face in the crook of the older man's neck. The assistant ground down into the hand as every stroke brought him closer to his neglected release. It didn't take long before Ciel cried out his lover name while biting into the soft flesh of his neck, his climax spilling over the large hand in his pants.

Sebastian cradled Ciel in his arms, the young male's breathing returning to normal as he clung to his naked lover beneath him. Neither moved nor spoke for a long time, until Ciel felt a pair of lips place soft kisses into his hair. Lifting his head, the younger male cautiously looked up into the amused red eyes staring back at him.

"Hmmmm," Sebastian hummed in contentment. "That was interesting. It's been a long time since I let somebody do that to me." He cocked an eyebrow at Ciel who grinned.

"I take it you liked your gift then?" Ciel smiled as he earned a quick nod in response.

"Very much, but you had me worried there for a moment." The assistant arched a brow in question. "Although, I didn't think you were brave enough to try and top me just yet." Ciel pouted at the comment and Sebastian chuckled at the face.

"You really hate it that much?" Ciel questioned, not sure why. The few times they had had sex the younger male had enjoyed being topped by Sebastian. Granted there was a mess to clean up afterwards and some soreness the next day, but the intense orgasm that came before all that was definitely worth it.

Sebastian sighed, pulling the warm body closer to him. "It's not that I don't like it, Ciel. It's just that I'm not comfortable with giving that much control up to someone else." The younger male rolled his eyes at the statement. "If you haven't noticed, I have some serious issues with needing to control my surroundings that I am dealing with."

"Ooohhh, nooo, you have control issues?" Ciel replied sarcastically. "You really should have a professional look into that for you, you know."

I did actually. I saw a therapist for a long time, but stopped going a few years ago." Ciel blinked eyes in shock at the admission. He never would have thought that the older male would need help handling a situation like that; Sebastian seemed so sure of himself in all things, personal and business.

"Why did you stop going?" He laid his head back down onto his lover's warm chest, drawing mindless circles with his fingertips over the smooth muscle.

Sebastian thought for a moment, "We had reached an impasse. I wasn't progressing any further and he had run out of ideas of ways to help me, so I left. Besides, the man was ridiculously expensive and a bit eccentric." The older man stroked Ciel's back lightly. "I could always go back if I wanted to or you could see him if you ever felt the need. He is very discreet with his clientele." The younger male snorted in displeasure of the statement.

"Why would I ever need therapy? You're the one with all the mental issues apparently." A chuckle rumbled through the broad chest and Ciel smiled at the feel of the vibration from the action.

"My, my, aren't you in a kind mood this morning?" Sebastian teased. "And you were so giving and caring only moments ago."

"Hmmm, I'm sticky and getting cold. That would put anyone into less than a good mood" As he said it, Ciel realized the mess in his sweat pants had grown cold and was drying all over his lower regions. The feeling was uncomfortable and all he wanted to do at this point was to shower and get clean.

Pushing himself up, Ciel climbed over Sebastian and off the other side of the bed, making his way to the master bath. "I'm going to take a shower." Then glancing over his shoulder. "Are you coming? I'll let you wash my hair." A wide grin spread over the younger male's face, watching Sebastian roll over and move off the mattress towards him.

"Of course, I will, young master." The VP conceded, following his lover into the bathroom where Ciel was already turning on the water.

"Hmm, I sort of like you calling me that." Ciel mused aloud, his hand testing the shower's temperature. When he deemed it hot enough, the sweat pants were peeled off and he stepped under the steaming liquid in the marble enclosure. Sighing with contentment, the younger male barely noticed when his lover had joined him.

"I can call you that from now on, if you like." Sebastian elaborated, lathering body wash in his hands before rubbing Ciel down with the fragrant substance. "But only here, not anywhere else." He warned.

Ciel thought it over for a moment. "I don't know about that. How about I let you call me master when I finally get to top you?" He closed his eyes as Sebastian began to shampoo his hair, fingers massaging the scalp skillfully.

"Can we not get back on that topic again?" The older male pouted at the reoccurrence of the earlier conversation.

"Ok, ok, let's switch topics." Ciel said quickly, wanting to avoid an argument and searched his mind for something else. His face lit up when an idea hit. "Hey! You want to meet my mom?"

Fingers ceased their rubbing and the younger male turned around to see why his lover had stopped and pulled his hands away. The look he was greeted with was not the one that he was expecting; Sebastian's face had gone pale and his mouth was set in a grim line.

"Sebastian? What's wrong?" The young man frowned at the expression. It wasn't as if he thought he would get a ticker tape parade for asking such a question, but a look with a little less horror would have been nice.

Sebastian glanced away to the side. "Are you sure about that?" he asked nervously. Ciel was confused by the inquiry.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I want you to meet my mom?" His brows furrowed in concentration. "Unless you don't want to meet her. Is that it?"

"No, no, that's not it at all." The older male stated quickly. He had learned by now that letting his lover form his own conclusions to his boss's reactions was never a good thing. "I mean, I would love to meet her, but does she know about you?" Red eyes gave a knowing look and now it was Ciel's turn to look away.

"Not yet." He mumbled, blushing. Then looking up resolutely, "But I want to change that and I want her to meet the reason for that change in me." He turned around and Sebastian began to scrub his head once again.

The older male sighed, "So you plan to tell her that you're gay and that you are dating your boss in the same sentence. Don't you think that will be a bit much for her to handle all at once?" Ciel nodded because he really hadn't thought about the logistics yet. Clean water was run through the slate strands and the younger male turned around to help his lover soap up his own body.

"You're right. That might be too much of a shock for her." Ciel confirmed, frothy lather being spread over the broad chest in front of him. "So, what do you suggest?"

"I think, you should tell her about your gender preference, but I would leave out the fact that I am the one corrupting you." Sebastian explained and Ciel rolled his eyes again.

"As I recall, I was the one who asked you to corrupt me that one night on my birthday, remember?" He grinned wickedly at his poignant correction.

"True. So this actually all your fault." Sebastian winked at his lover before shaking his head. "Be that as it may, no matter how you word it, I can guarantee you that your mother will not take our relationship well. You and I may not have a problem with our professional positions and our relationship, but others may not take so kindly to it." The older male rubbed shampoo into his own head before stepping under the showerhead to let clean water wash him of the bubbles.

Ciel nodded, the logic making sense again. "And this has nothing to do with the fact that you want to keep our relationship private?" He did his best to keep the bitter edge out of his voice, but failed. Keeping their relationship private was starting to annoy Ciel, especially since he couldn't even tell his own mother about it. Looking down and twirling the ring around on his thumb, the realization began to dawn on him that this piece of jewelry was really the only thing in the world that linked him to Sebastian outside of their secluded tryst.

Turning off the water, Sebastian reached over for a towel. "Actually, this time, no. It has more to do with keeping you on good grounds with your mother." And keeping Rachel from figuring out that Vincent was the CEO of FPE, Sebastian added silently.

He was already treading on dangerous ground by contemplating meeting the woman. Not that she had any connection with her ex-husband, but finding out that her son was involved with his boss might just give her the push she would need to investigate the company and then lord only knows what information might be revealed.

Stepping out and drying off his body, Ciel followed suit. "I will meet her, but as your boss. Do you understand?" Red eyes searched disappointed blue ones and Sebastian felt a pang of guilt for doing this.

"I do." Ciel grumbled quietly, wrapping the fluffy towel around his waist. He padded into the bedroom to find something clean to wear and settled on a long sleeve shirt and a pair of black sweat pants.

"When, may I ask, is your mother coming?" Sebastian pulled on a similar outfit, still drying his black wet locks with his hands.

"At the end of the month. She's going to stay with me and Alois." The older male shot him a skeptical look. "She'll sleep in my room and I will take the couch or sleep in Alois's bed if he's not home." An eyebrow was cocked his way, but nothing further was said on the matter of Ciel sleeping in another man's bed. It didn't sit well with the VP, but there really wasn't much he could do about the situation.

"Fine." Sebastian conceded. "We can have dinner Saturday night then. You can make reservations on Monday wherever you like." Ciel nodded and his stomach growled at the mention of food. Blushing, he looked towards his lover to see a smirk spread over his face at the noise.

Without another word, the two made their way into the kitchen, determined to find something to quiet Ciel's restless appetite.

* * *

"It's lovely, honey." Rachel commented as her eyes roamed around the small apartment. "Very cozy, but I still think what you're paying for it is ridiculous."

Ciel's mother had driven from Pennsylvania after work on a Friday and had arrived in the city around 10 pm. The young man was extremely excited to see her after such a long time and was looking forward to showing her the sights of Manhattan before she left on Sunday again.

"You're going to be sleeping in my room, mom." Ciel explained as he lugged her suitcase into his bedroom. He had hung a sheet over the open doorway to give her some more privacy. "And I'll sleep on the couch or in Alois's bed since he's hardly ever here at night."

Ciel had to admit that his friend had really impressed him lately. The blonde had been working at the same bar for over a month now, a record of employment for the wayward actor, and he really seemed to be doing well there. Alois was also in an off-Broadway play that the younger man had yet to see, but the production seemed solid enough and it kept the blonde busy when he wasn't at work.

Rachel looked around the small bedroom before sitting down on the bed, patting the comforter next her, indicating that she wanted her son to come have a seat. Ciel complied and plopped down next to his mother, letting out a long sigh as his head rested on her small shoulder.

"Cici, is everything alright?" She inquired and noticed how the younger man tensed up at the question. He shook his head no, deciding it was best not to answer her directly. Rachel was smart and intuitive and it wouldn't take the woman long to figure out that Ciel was hiding something if he wasn't careful. She hummed lightly, letting the subject drop for now.

"What do you want to do this evening, mom?" Ciel lifted his head to stare in eyes that mirrored his own. It was late and he knew she must be tired from her long drive. "Are you hungry? I have ramen noodles." She laughed at the suggestion.

"No, sweetie, I'm good." Running her fingers softly through her son's hair. "How about we get some sleep and then tomorrow we can go out for a big breakfast, my treat?" Ciel grinned at the idea and hopped off the bed, walking towards the doorway, he spun around at the entrance.

"Ok, deal. But I'm buying and I won't take no for an answer." Rachel smiled and nodded at her son's eagerness. When that boy got an idea in his head there was no talking him out of it. They said their good nights and Rachel was left alone in her son's room.

Something was up with her only child, she just knew it. And come hell or high water, Rachel Phantomhive was going to find out what it was this weekend.

* * *

Ciel's fingers strummed nervously against the tablecloth at the restaurant, his blue eyes flitting about the space looking for something. He had made reservations at Iguana in the Theater District for 8 pm and Sebastian was already 15 minutes late.

Rachel and her son had spent the day meandering about the city, starting out with breakfast at Bouchon Bakery in Rockefeller Center. The weather had been cold and dreary so instead of strolling through Central Park, the duo had opted to spend their time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Both of them loved history and it didn't take long before they had become so absorbed in the plethora of artifacts that they almost were late for dinner. Not that it mattered much since the VP was running late, but if Sebastian stood them up there would be hell to pay, Ciel would make sure if it.

"Honey, is something bothering you?" The soft voice broke through the young man's irritated thoughts and his head snapped back to see the worried expression on Rachel's face.

"Nope, nope." Ciel forced a smile before shoving another tortilla chip into his mouth. He was contemplating ordering a second margarita, but thought better of it. He didn't do very well with too much alcohol in his system and there was no telling what might escape from his lips if he drank too much.

"So, we are waiting for your boss?" Rachel questioned, her face looking a bit confused. "Why are we having dinner with him again?"

"Because, um, he's my mentor." Ciel mentally congratulated himself for coming up with that so quickly. "And he's had a lot of influence on me since I started at the company so I thought you might like to meet him." It was mostly the truth. A flash of black caught the young man's attention and he let out a relieved sigh as he saw his boss approaching the table.

"My sincerest apologies for my tardiness." Sebastian stated, pulling his coat off and hanging it over the back of an empty chair. "It seems that things in the financial world are never finished when we would like them to be." He offered a polite smile to Rachel and Ciel. "But how rude of me, allow me to introduce myself. I am Sebastian Michaelis. Please, don't get up." Rachel took the outstretched hand shook it.

"Rachel Phantomhive. It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Michaelis." She smiled as the older man took a seat. Ciel sat with a goofy grin plastered on his face, happiness welling up inside him at watching the exchange.

"Please, call me Sebastian." The VP asked, waving the waiter over to place a drink order.

"Alright, only if you will call me Rachel." Sebastian laughed and nodded in agreement. "So, Sebastian, Ciel here tells me that you've become his mentor and that you're teaching him all sorts of new and exciting things." Rachel shot her son a look and the young man blushed at the comment. The VP arched an eyebrow at the description of him.

"Hmmm, yes, you could say that." The older male mused out loud. "But Ciel doesn't need much encouragement. He is quite good at taking his own initiative." Red eyes sparkled at the double meaning and Ciel felt his face heat up even more. "My assistant likes to be very hands on in all things it seems."

"Yes, Ciel has always been that way." Rachel nodded, the innuendos flying over her head. "Even as a child, he was extremely eager to put forth 110% in everything he did." She stared adoringly at her only child and Ciel slumped in his seat, feeling more embarrassed than ever at the moment.

Luckily, the waiter showed up to take their orders, thus putting an end to the mortifying discussion for the time being. The rest of the dinner went smoothly, Rachel and Sebastian conversing on various topics while Ciel munched quietly on his enchiladas. But the younger male could have done without his mother telling funny stories of him when he was little. Especially the one where Ciel had wandered into Rachel's closet that one time when he was 8 to try on one of her dresses. It earned a hearty laugh from Sebastian and Ciel made a mental note to smack his lover later for his reaction to that story.

Later in the evening, after all the goodbyes had been said, Ciel found himself sitting cross legged on his couch next to his mother in his pj's. It had been a long day and the young man just wanted to relax for the rest of the night. He was happy that evening had turned out so well, except for the parts where he had wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole.

Rachel patted her son's knee and gave him a soft look. Ciel noticed it and gazed into her eyes, "What?"

"Oh nothing, honey." She replied, glancing away quickly and then back again. "Your boss, he, um, seems very nice."

"Oh yeah." Ciel nodded quickly. "Sebastian's great. I'm really glad that you two got along so well." He watched as his mother fidgeted with her fingers, a nervous habit that Ciel had picked up from her years ago. He furrowed his brow suspiciously, "Mom, what's wrong?"

Rachel hummed quietly before looking her son straight in the eyes, a serious expression on her face. "Honey, while Sebastian is very nice and the man is incredibly good looking, don't get me wrong." She paused and Ciel nodded, drawing a blank as to where this was going. "And it's very sweet of you, but he's too young for me." She smiled gently.

Ciel just blinked, his mouth dropping open as he tried to process what his mother had just said. Realization crept through his mind that his mother was under the assumption that the younger male had been trying set up her with his boss. Try as he might, Ciel couldn't stop the hysterical giggle that bubbled up from his throat at the idea. The thought Sebastian not being gay was so funny because if he wasn't then the female populace wouldn't stand a chance; the man was walking sex on legs as it was.

Composing himself, Ciel swallowed another laugh at his mother's confused expression. "It's ok, mom, really." He reassured and Rachel relaxed a bit. "My bad." The young man decided it was better to let her think her theory was correct; it just made things simpler than trying to explain otherwise.

"I hope you're not upset. I know you've been a bit nervous lately." Rachel prodded and Ciel sighed, so she had noticed. Even though his mother was way off base as to the reason, her intuition had been spot on. The younger male knew from past experience that once Rachel sniffed something out she would keep looking into until she got an answer. Slumping his shoulders a bit, Ciel resigned himself that now was a good a time as any to tell her the real reason behind his apprehension as of late.

"Mom, I need to talk to you about something." Ciel started quietly, taking both her hands in his, making direct eye contact. He didn't know how he was going to go about telling her this, it's not like there was a Hallmark card of this sort of thing. Or was there? He made a mental note to check the next time he was in one of those stores.

Rachel sat very quietly, her blue eyes searching her son's fearful face. "Whatever it is, Cici, you can tell me." She gave him a comforting smile and Ciel relaxed a little before he continued.

"Do you remember how Lizzy and I and stopped seeing each other around my birthday?" His mother nodded, thinking back to the phone call from her son about how he and his college girlfriend had broken up, but was never really given an explanation as to why. She had just always assumed it was because of the distance between them and didn't want to pry by asking about it.

Ciel swallowed hard, "Well, she actually broke up with me because she thought I was interested in someone else." He nibbled on his lower lip nervously. "And she wasn't wrong, mom."

"You didn't cheat on her, did you?" Rachel was a little appalled by the confession. She had raised her son to be a better person than that.

"No, no, I didn't. I swear it." He shook his head vigorously; maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. "But there was someone else that I was interested in at the time and still am." Ciel paused, hoping that his mother would just ask the right questions so he wouldn't have to blurt the truth out loud.

A broad smile spread over Rachel's face at the admission. "That's so wonderful, honey! I didn't know you were dating someone new. How long have you been seeing her?" He cringed at the presumption and gave a heavy sigh; it was now or never.

"Since my birthday. We started seeing each other after Lizzy broke up with me." Ciel closed his eyes tight. "And it's a he, mom."

Silence.

After counting to ten, Ciel opened one eye cautiously to gauge his mother's reaction. Rachel sat there, her mouth hanging open, face pale, staring at her son as the information sank in very slowly. His heart sank as each minute passed and nothing changed.

"Well," Rachel began slowly, "that actually explains a lot of things." Ciel's head snapped up.

"What do you mean 'a lot of things'? What kind of things?" He demanded, face red. This was not what the young man had been expecting, that his mother might have suspected he was gay before the thought had ever crossed his mind.

"Oh honey, you know, things." She waved her hand in the air nonchalantly. "I am a mother, Ciel. I do pick up things about my own child, you know." Ciel pouted and grumbled something that sounded like wishes you would have told me. "I always knew there was something odd about your relationship with Lizzy, but I just told myself it was because you were young." She explained. "And there's Alois."

"What about Alois?" Ciel gave her a cautious look and Rachel smiled.

"Honey, even you have to admit that he is an odd choice for a best friend." She gave her son a knowing look and Ciel nodded, she was right about that. Leaning in, she whispered, "Please don't tell me that Alois is your person of interest. God knows I love that boy, but he's just a bit too much sometimes." Ciel started laughing at the idea of him and Alois as a couple.

"Mom, I can promise you that Alois and I have never gone down that path together." He breathed out a long breath; this was going so much better than he had anticipated. "So, you're not upset?"

Rachel thought for a moment before answering. "I'm surprised, but no, I'm not upset. You're my son, Cici, and I will love you no matter who you decide to be with. Just as long as that person treats you right and you're happy." She fell back, laughing as Ciel flung his arms around his mother's neck and hugging her fiercely.

"You are the best mother in the whole world, you know that right?" Ciel cried out, grinning from ear to ear. He couldn't believe his luck that everything had turned out so well and this mother still loved him even after what she just found out. "I love you so much, mom." She rubbed her son's back affectionately, kissing the side of his hair.

"I love you too, honey." She confirmed and hugged her only child tighter.

* * *

Sebastian glanced up from his paperwork in the kitchen as the sound of the front door of his condo slammed shut. He knew it was Ciel, it was Sunday evening now and Rachel had left in the early afternoon to make it back to Pennsylvania hopefully before nightfall.

"In here." The older male called out and sneakers squeaked on the kitchen tiles as they approached. A grinning Ciel walked in, sitting himself down in Sebastian's lap and placing a light kiss on his lover's cheek. "I'm guessing things went well with your mother then." He mused, dropping his paperwork to pull Ciel closer to him.

"It did. Turns out she is just peachy with me being gay." The young man smiled widely.

"Must be nice." Sebastian muttered bitterly under his breath and Ciel's happy mood quickly dissolved away. In all his excitement, he had forgotten how badly coming out to his parents had been for Sebastian.

Using his palm, Ciel turned the older male's face down to his, kissing him deeply and slowly. He widened his jaw to suck more of Sebastian's tongue into his mouth and gently stroked the side of his lover's face. Finally releasing, Ciel sat back and gazed seriously into the red eyes.

"It doesn't matter." He reaffirmed. "I love you, Sebastian, and we have each other. That's all we need." Sebastian smiled and Ciel kissed him again passionately. Never had the younger male put so much emotion into one kiss, it's as if he was trying to erase all the past pain from his lover's memory.

"I love you, Ciel." Sebastian murmured, placing their foreheads together and breathing heavily. He swallowed and cleared his throat, trying to regain some composure. Smiling, "So, what did you tell her?"

"That I was seeing someone amazing and that I am very happy with him." Ciel reiterated the conversation that he had had earlier with his mother. He saw the skeptical look that Sebastian gave him and he continued. "I told her that it was something very new and I wasn't comfortable going into too much detail about who he was or what he did. She's respects my privacy, Sebastian." Ciel gave his lover a knowing look and the older male sighed, nodding in agreement.

Ciel snuggled into the warm lap as Sebastian went back to reading over the paperwork from before. He rested his head against the older male's chest and listened to the strong beat of a heart beneath it. Closing his eyes, Ciel vowed to himself to keep Sebastian's heart safe from pain with everything he had.


	17. Chapter 17

March was a dreary month in New York City. Cold and rainy, most activities were on hiatus until the warmer months and Manhattanites spent a majority their time indoors working and planning vacations for the spring and summer to somewhere warm and tropical. Ciel was no exception.

The assistant sat in front of his monitor in the office scrolling through various houses for rent in the Hamptons. The VP had mentioned the idea of renting a house for the summer season a couple of times, but only recently had decided to go ahead with the idea. So, it was Ciel's job to find a suitable place within a given budget.

The younger male didn't mind the task at all and thought about how wonderful it would be to spend the weekends with his lover out at the beach. Ciel wasn't much one for the sun, his pale skin burned easily, but he did love the ocean. Images of sandy dunes and starry nights floated through his head and Ciel sighed out loud in contentment.

The sound of Sebastian's line ringing jolted the assistant from his daydream and he glanced down to see an international number display over the console. He was about to grab it, when the VP picked up, allowing Ciel to go back to his daydream of Sebastian rubbing sun block over his back.

Behind a closed door a few feet away, Sebastian was having a less than pleasant time conversing with Vincent Funtom over the phone. Swiveling around in his office chair, he gazed out the window at the city, hiding his expression from Ciel in case his assistant wandered in unannounced.

'Sir, are you sure that is the best idea at this point and time?' Sebastian inquired, the hand not holding up the phone digging its nails angrily into his palm.

'I think it is the perfect time to come and check in on my successor, Michaelis.' Vincent affirmed with a resolute tone. 'We just had another client leave, saying that FPE didn't provide them with enough intimate attention.' The CEO snorted in annoyance. 'Besides, it will be good to see Ciel in then flesh again. I have some things I would like to implement in the near future.' He hummed softly, as if deciding whether or not to continue.

Sebastian grit his teeth, not liking the tone. 'What sort of things?'

'That remains to be seen.' The CEO answered thoughtfully. 'It all depends on how Ciel is doing. How he performs may be the deciding factor on how he will proceed within the company.' There was a pause. 'It may also decide your future in FPE, as well, Michaelis.'

'How so?' The VP cocked an eyebrow even though he knew no one could see him.

'Don't play dumb, Michaelis.' He spat over the line. 'Everything he does is a direct reflection of your teachings over the past few months. If he does well, so do you and I have no doubt with your outstanding track record that you have molded my son into something worthy of my name.'

Sebastian let out a loud breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He absolutely detested this man. 'Understood, Sir. When will you be arriving?' He conceded.

'The weekend of the 15th. Paula will book my flights and hotel. Make sure I have the visiting office in the corner. It is larger than the rest.' He informed his executive.

'Yes, Sir. See you then.' Sebastian stated and the call ended.

Placing the phone back in its cradle, the VP placed his face in his hands, fingers running through his bangs and groaning into his palms. This was not good; the CEO coming to check up on Ciel, with Sebastian was still stuck in the middle of it and his lover having no idea.

Time was running short and eventually Ciel would learn about his parentage and then what? Would he hate Sebastian for not telling him the truth? Would he feel used? Betrayed? All the unanswered questions swirled in the VP's mind and he would prefer if he never had to ask them in the first place.

But Sebastian felt as if he was trying to stop a dam from bursting and soon everything would be flooded and ruined. No matter what happened in the next month, the older man just knew the outcome would not be good.

* * *

Ciel shifted his weight to his other foot as he stood by the visiting office, waiting. The CEO was due to arrive any minute, fresh off his flight from London and it was Ciel's job to make sure the powerful man had everything he needed once he came into the office.

Filling time, the young man thought back to his boss's peculiar behavior over the past 2 weeks. Sebastian had been on edge, it seemed, he was less talkative and even more demanding than usual. Ciel had watched his lover cautiously, all the telltale signs of stress making themselves more present each passing day.

They were simple things really, the way Sebastian would continually run his long fingers through his hair or how he would hum lowly in the back of his throat before answering questions. All things that went unnoticeable to most, that any other person would dismiss as normal behavior, but Ciel knew them all as signs of the VP being severely stressed.

Being concerned, the assistant began to run probable scenarios through his mind of what might be causing the issue. He thought of everything from identity theft to a death in the family, but he finally settled on the simplest idea; Sebastian's boss was coming to the New York office and it was making the man tense.

It made sense, the New York office had always been under scrutiny from the London office and it if didn't perform to the expected standards, the location could be closed. In the end, the jobs of several people, including his own, all rested on the shoulders of Sebastian Michaelis. No wonder the VP was stressed out.

Even with that logic in mind, Ciel was frustrated. The two hadn't been intimate since the beginning of the month and it was all due to Sebastian's sudden lack of interest in sex. They kissed and cuddled, but whenever the young man would attempt to push the boundaries further, the VP would stop everything and suggest they go to sleep. It was mind boggling and Ciel hoped that once the CEO's visit was over and done with things would go back to normal between them.

Shaking the thoughts away, the young man's head snapped up as he heard the distinct sound of voices coming down the hallway. A few feet away from him strode Vincent Funtom with Mey Rin chatting his ear off about the office supply budget. The man was impeccably dressed, even having sat on a plane for 7 hours; there wasn't a wrinkle to be found on his expensive Italian navy suit. As they approached, Ciel stretched out his hand and smiled.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Funtom. I hope your flight went well." The CEO smiled slightly and shook the smaller appendage with a firm shake.

"It was dreadful, but such is the way of air travel." He responded, stepping past the assistant with his luggage into the visiting office. Ciel followed behind him, turning on the light and shutting the door.

It was a large office, almost as big as the VP's, with huge windows displaying the city. Decorated in dark wood, the room had the same feel of the London office unlike the rest of the modern decor of the building there were in at the moment.

The CEO rounded the desk, where he began to unpack his briefcase, placing stacks of paper where he would like them to be. Ciel stood and watched, waiting for instruction.

Not looking up, Vincent asked, "Is Michaelis in?"

"No, Sir. He is out at a client meeting and won't be back until late in the day. Is there something I can get you?" Ciel stated professionally, looking the man straight on.

The CEO sat back in his chair and locked eyes with the young man, his fingers steepled under his chin. Vincent smirked when he saw no waiver of confidence in the assistant's stare, unlike last time when the young man had seemed incredibly nervous in his presence.

"Actually," He began, slowly, "there is something you can help me with, Phantomhive." Lowering a hand, the CEO tapped a stack of papers with two fingers and pushed them towards the edge of the desk furthest away from him. "I need someone to look over these client profiles and see if there is a way to offer them more individualized services based on the type of business they do." Ciel tilted his head to the side, interest sparking in his blue eyes.

"You would like me to take a look, Sir?" Vincent nodded and smiled encouragingly. Ciel walked across the room, picking up the stack and tucking it under his arm.

"Just whenever you have time, Phantomhive. I look forward to hearing your suggestions." The assistant nodded and smiled, giddy that the CEO had asked him to help out with something, but never dropping the professional air surrounding him. Vincent noticed this too and hummed with approval.

"You may go. I'll let you know if I need anything." The CEO waved his hand, dismissing the young man who smiled and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him as he went.

* * *

"That could work." Ciel murmured to himself as he scribbled the idea down in his notebook.

The young man was laying on his stomach, sprawled out over Sebastian's bed, now covered with various documents as well. He chewed on the tip of his pen as he looked over all the progress he had made in the past few hours on the CEO's project.

The young man glanced up when he heard the front door unlock, knowing Sebastian had finally made it home. He turned towards the clock and realized that it was almost 9 o'clock; Ciel had been so engrossed in his work that he had forgotten to eat. A fact that his stomach now reminded him of by growling. Carefully, so as to not disturb the paperwork, he slipped off the bed and made his way into the kitchen where he found his lover peering into the open fridge.

"Hey." Ciel greeted softly, his bare feet making almost no noise on the tile. Sebastian turned his head to smile at the young man, it looked weary, but the sentiment was most definitely there. "You hungry?" He questioned, walking over and wrapping his arms around the clothed waist before burying his nose into the back of the older man's suit. Inhaling deeply, Ciel sighed at the scent, it had been too long since he had indulged his senses in the smell.

Gently, Sebastian removed the arms from his body and stepped around a disappointed Ciel. "Not really. I think I'm going to take a shower and go to sleep. It's been a long day." He placed a light kiss to the young man's forehead before disappearing into the bedroom.

Ciel pursed his lips together, annoyed at the response. It was almost like Sebastian couldn't stand to be in the same room with him anymore. Sighing at the depressing thought, Ciel went in search of something to eat. Deciding on a bowl of cereal, he sat at the kitchen table and consumed it in silence. When he finished, the young man cleaned up and wandered back into the bedroom.

Sebastian was there, freshly showered and already in his boxers and t-shirt prepared to go to sleep. The older man stood next to the bed, a sheet of paper in his hand that his red eyes were scanning over from a stack Ciel had been working on. He looked up as he heard his lover enter the room.

"Ciel, what is all this?" He asked, his tone cautious. Reading off one of the company synopses, he frowned. "Kadar Industries, this one of Faustus's old accounts. They left FPE a month ago due to a lack of personal attention, if I remember correctly." Dropping the sheet, Sebastian looked up again. "Who gave these to you?" His voice stern and Ciel shifted nervously.

"Mr. Funtom asked me to have a look and give him some suggestions on how to offer more individualized services." Ciel answered quietly. He didn't know why he felt so shy, he hadn't done anything wrong and yet Sebastian was acting like he had. Blue eyes watched as the paper was dropped and the VP clenched his jaw, obviously not happy with the answer. His annoyance only confused Ciel all the more.

"Please put it away." Sebastian requested, his arm making a sweeping motion over the area. "I need to get some sleep." He walked out of the room to get something; probably his smartphone and Ciel went about cleaning up the area before going to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

When he finished, Ciel turned off the lights and crawled into bed next to Sebastian. He lay on his side, back facing his lover and curled into a tight ball. The bed had never felt so big and lonely as it did now, despite the fact there was another person in it with him. The feeling depressed the younger male so much that a small whimper left his mouth and he was quick to shove his face into his pillow.

"Ciel?" A voice whispered from behind him and the sound of covers rustling caused Ciel to open his eyes. "Ciel." The request for his attention was louder now, but the young man ignored it and stayed still.

An arm wrapped around his clothed waist and the small body was pulled flush against Sebastian's warm chest. He closed his eyes when he felt his lover nuzzle the nape of his neck with his nose and Ciel pushed his hips back so he could grind against Sebastian's groin. The contact caused the older man to stop his actions and sigh, tightening his grip around Ciel's waist and holding him firmly in place.

"Goodnight, Ciel." Sebastian exhaled heavily, his head dropping back to his pillow and away from the young man.

Ciel was furious now. He squirmed and wriggled against the firm grasp on his body, using any leverage he could get to move around. The younger male let out a whine in frustration as he was kept pinned next to the solid mass that was his boss.

"Sebastian. Please." He whined, grinding his hips down. "What's wrong? Don't you want me?" Ciel knew this was a low blow, but he was desperate to get a response from his hesitant lover at this point. Sebastian released his hold and sighed heavily while Ciel rolled over to face him. "You haven't touched me in weeks, what did I do?" His voice was thick with doubt and insecurity.

Sebastian let out a low groan, feeling guilty for so many things at the moment. He reached up and wound his long fingers into slate colored locks pulling Ciel's mouth up to his in a long passionate kiss. A satisfied moan escaped the younger male's throat and he pulled himself close to his lover's warm body greedily.

Ciel's hands rapidly pulled at the fabric of the older male's shirt, yanking it over his head and out of the way. Sebastian rolled himself on top of his lover, his knees pushing apart the slim thighs beneath him where he ground their clothed erections together.

"God, yes." Ciel hissed as Sebastian nipped and sucked on his neck and collarbone. His back arched as fingers found purchase under the soft cotton shirt to rub stiff nipples. Ciel moaned loudly and pushed his hips up into Sebastian's, letting shivers of pleasure course through him at the friction. "Sebastian, don't stop. Please." He begged, feeling that he might die if his lover decided that now was good time to cease their activities as he had been doing the past few weeks.

Pushing the shirt up, older male lapped at the slim torso, his tongue trailing a path to the waistband of Ciel's boxer shorts. The younger male gripped the edges of the annoying shirt and jerked it off his shoulders. Running his fingers down the muscular back, Ciel reached to hook them into Sebastian's boxers, pulling them down enough to expose the older male's ass. A low growl was emitted from Sebastian as he felt light fingertips brush over the toned muscle, before digging in and squeezing hard.

"Ssshhhh." Sebastian soothed, as Ciel mewled, his body grinding harshly against his lover's.

The older male peeled the boxers off his lover's body, releasing the leaking member and letting it smack back onto its owner's abdomen. He nimbly removed his own remaining clothing before climbing up over Ciel, laying his body between the slender thighs.

"What are yo . . ." Ciel was cut off by a fierce kiss on his lips. He moaned as their tongues rolled around one another, the younger male had almost forgotten how good this felt. Teeth clicked together as Sebastian intensified his hold on his lover's mouth and Ciel mewled as their erections were rubbed against each other; pre-cum making them slick and wet.

"Promise me." Sebastian whispered breathlessly into his lover's ear, sucking on the lobe. "Promise me something, Ciel." His lover turned his head to answer, but was silenced with another passionate kiss.

"An-anything." Ciel panted when he finally had his mouth free. Sebastian scooted down his body, sucking on his fingers in preparation. "Anything, Sebastian!" He cried as he felt the first digit slide past the tight ring of muscles. Ciel's fingers entangled themselves in the soft black locks as Sebastian nipped and licked his thighs; purposefully avoid the angry stiff member so close by.

"Ahhhn, mmfph!" Ciel bit his lower lip as a second finger was added, pushing in and out of his hot hole at a fast pace. When the tips brushed over the hidden bundles of nerves, Ciel's body jerked up and he ripped at Sebastian's hair. "Ye-yes!" He screamed with pleasure and begged, "Take me, Se-seba-ahhnn!"

Withdrawing his hand, Sebastian placed the swollen head of his length against the wet hole and pushed in with one smooth stroke. The sudden fullness made Ciel gasp loudly and the older male immediately wrapped his arms around the writhing body, his lips molding expertly onto the smaller panting ones.

Sebastian rocked slowly, back and forth, taking his time worship Ciel's body with his own. He gave smooth strokes with his hips and made sure to just brush his lover's prostate with each pass. Ciel arms clung to the broad shoulders over him and he pressed himself as hard as he could into the strong chest on top of him. Everywhere he looked, felt, smelled there was Sebastian; Ciel felt like he was drowning in his lover and he couldn't have been happier.

The older male panted heavily from holding back so much, but he wanted this. He wanted to completely lose himself in Ciel like he had never done before. Sebastian poured all his angst of the past few weeks into his lover's body and the fear of what could happen only drove his desperation to make himself one with Ciel all the more.

Leaning forward, he breathed against Ciel's neck. "Promise me." Ciel didn't understand the request, what did Sebastian want him to promise? Anything, the man could have anything he wanted from Ciel. He already had Ciel's mind, body and soul, what more was there?

"W-wha?" He managed to pant out, his fingers gripping into Sebastian's hair again and forcing his lips onto the younger male's neck. The older male bit and sucked the delicate skin as he rocked into the quivering body beneath his own.

"Promise, y-you . . . hah, you won't, l-leave me." Sebastian forced out, gripping Ciel even harder against him as he said the words. His greatest fears vocalized for all to hear. He reached down to encircle his fingers around the younger male's neglected member, stroking it slowly in time with his thrusts.

Ciel mewled at the sensation as he answered, "I-I . . .ahh, I . . . wo-won't . . .mmmahh." He had no idea why his lover was requesting this, but he could care less right now, too lost in bliss. Lifting his head to gaze into the lust filled red eyes watching him. "N-now, fuck me like you m-mean it." Ciel managed, a grin spreading over his face as he heard Sebastian groan with want at the command.

Sebastian complied and picked up the tempo of both his thrusts and strokes, Ciel's sweaty head falling back against the pillows in ecstasy. He came first, babbling a mix of his lover's name and I love you's while the sound of Ciel's cries pushed Sebastian to his climax shortly thereafter.

Instead of rolling to the side, Sebastian turned onto his back, pulling Ciel's spent body with him, so that he came to rest on top of the older male's chest. He purred with delight at the flushed expression of the younger male's face, his frantic breathing and trembling body, exhausted from the rigors of their love making. Brushing the matted bangs out of the way, Sebastian gazed deeply into the bright blue eyes.

"My God." He whispered, voice catching. "I love you so damn much, Ciel Phantomhive." His thumb rubbed circles over a pink cheek as his lover rested his chin on a pectoral. Ciel gave a sleepy and satisfied smile at the older male, his eyelids starting to droop.

Sebastian wrapped his arms tightly around the small body as Ciel's breaths evened out and he watched in silence as the most precious being in the world slumbered peacefully, not having any knowledge of what was yet to come.

* * *

"What is your take on these, Michaelis?" Sebastian glanced up from the paperwork in his hands, eyes locking onto the CEO's serious face. The executive sat in a chair in front of the large desk in the visiting office, Vincent behind it, closely watching his VP's reaction.

It had been three days since Ciel had finished the project handed to him by the CEO. The assistant had dropped his analysis off and hadn't heard another word about it since then. That is until, Sebastian was called into the office this afternoon by his boss to have a discussion about the contents of the documents.

"The ideas seem well thought out." Sebastian mused. "However, there is always a risk when trying to implement something like this and I'm not sure Ciel has enough experience to take the helm on such an endeavor." He was blatantly lying to his boss and the VP knew it. The conclusions that his assistant had given were solid and Sebastian had no doubt in his mind that Ciel was more than qualified to take on the task. However, he was making up excuses in hopes that Vincent would back down on his quest to make the young man his successor by hopefully planting doubt in his mind.

The CEO scoffed at the comment. "Please. You know as well as I do that these ideas are nothing short of brilliant." He raised his hand and curled his fingers back, indicating for his executive to return the papers and Sebastian complied, laying them on the edge of the desk. "If anything, his potential is being wasted by being your assistant, Michaelis." Sebastian grit his teeth at the observation, but forced himself to stay composed.

"What do you suggest then, Sir?" The VP growled, his glare deadly. A slow wicked smile appeared on the CEO's face and he chuckled at his own thoughts.

"I plan to remedy the situation of course." Sebastian's brows furrowed and he narrowed his red eyes suspiciously as the man continued. "I'm going to make an offer to Ciel for a position in the London office heading up client development. He will be working with Faustus and directly under me; that way I can personally ensure his progression to the level I desire." The VP's jaw dropped in shock and alarm; he hadn't expected this type of play from the CEO.

Sebastian couldn't let this happen. If Ciel left with Vincent there was no doubt in the older man's mind that it would only be a matter of time before his lover began to take on the same traits as the man Sebastian hated so much. Never mind that their relationship would be over as they couldn't continue seeing each other under the scrutiny of the CEO. Then there was the matter of Claude, but Sebastian shook the thought from his head, he needed to convince Vincent that this was a bad idea somehow.

Clearing his throat nervously, "Sir, do you really think that is the wisest course of action?" The VP watched his boss's expression darken, his authority being questioned not sitting well the powerful man and Sebastian elaborated. "How do you know that he will agree to this? His entire life, friends and family, is here in the states."

Another malicious smile appeared and the CEO looked almost feral as he answered. "Oh, he will agree to this, I can almost assure you of that, Michaelis. Once he learns the truth, I think Ciel will be more than willing to follow me wherever I go." Lacing his fingers under his chin, Vincent gave his executive a serious look. "I think it's about time your soon to be ex-assistant makes a life changing discovery, don't you?" Sebastian sat frozen in his seat, not knowing how to respond.

This is what he had been dreading since that day in the London office when the CEO had revealed to him that he was Ciel's biological father. Sebastian swallowed hard and he reminded himself to breathe lest he pass out. He was losing this battle and he felt powerless to do anything to change it.

Shrugging at the lack of response, "You're dismissed, Michaelis. Send in your assistant when you see him." Vincent waved his hand nonchalantly in the air as he looked back to the paperwork on his desk.

Sebastian nodded and he stood to exit the room, his legs heavy as lead as he walked out the door, closing it behind him. He leaned his back against a nearby wall and took a few deep breaths, clenching his hands into tight fists in hopes of making their visible shaking less noticeable. He needed to calm down. Falling apart now didn't help anyone at this point and it would only raise suspicions as to why he was so upset.

"Sebastian?" A concerned voice asked softly and the VP groaned mentally when he heard it. Screwing his eyes shut, the man didn't respond. "Sebastian, are you alright?" A small hand reached out and touched his broad shoulder tentatively and red eyes opened to stare up at worried blue ones.

"Ciel, I . . ." The VP whispered before realizing that they were standing right outside the CEO's visiting office where anybody could see them and wonder why he was having a nervous breakdown in the hallway. Regaining some equanimity, Sebastian stood straight, removing the hand from his body. "I'm fine." He assured, forcing a small smile. "Just got a bit dizzy for a moment, but it passed." Ciel chewed on his lower lip, instinctively knowing that wasn't the complete truth.

"Did you eat lunch?" He asked; worry creasing his forehead and Sebastian felt a pain in his chest at the innocent question. He shook his head and Ciel smirked, his curiosity for the odd behavior satisfied for now it seemed.

Taking a step forward, Sebastian closed the space between him and his assistant. Ciel looked up in shock at the close proximity to one another in public. His boss normally kept a professional distance from him while they were at work.

Red eyes serious, the VP spoke quietly, voice thick with emotion. "Ciel, listen to me. No matter what," He stopped and took a deep breath, pausing as he decided what he wanted to say. "Whatever decisions you make, now and in the future, I will always be behind you. I won't ever leave. Do you understand me?" Sebastian's gaze burned intensely into his assistant's bewildered eyes.

"I guess so." Ciel answered slowly, his expression one of utter confusion at the strange admission.

Sebastian stepped back, his professional persona back in place once again. "The CEO wishes to speak with you." He relayed in an even tone.

The younger male nodded and looked at the closed door just a few feet away. Walking to the office, Ciel gave a final glance to Sebastian, worry still evident in his face before he took a deep breath and opened the door, entering and closing it behind him.

The VP stared at the now closed door, his heart sinking in his chest as he thought about the conversation that was taking place inside. With a heavy sigh, Sebastian forced himself to walk back to his own office, eyes kept locked on the floor so he wouldn't have to talk to anybody on his way there.

Making it to his intended destination, the older man locked the door behind him and slumped against the heavy wood, his strength seemingly having left his body all of a sudden. He winced slightly at the stinging in his palms and he realized that his fists were tightly clenched together. Opening his hands, Sebastian gave a sick smile when he saw four small red crescents dug deeply into the fleshy meat of each appendage.

There was nothing the VP could now except sit and pray that his lover would forgive him in the end because Sebastian was sure of but one thing. He would never be able to forgive himself.


	18. Chapter 18

Ciel took a deep breath and straightened his back as he walked through the office door, closing it quietly behind him. Blue eyes swept over the room, landing on the CEO working intently behind the large desk, dark hair falling into his eyes.

Taking a few steps forward, the young man cleared his throat lightly to make his superior aware of his presence. Mr. Funtom had in fact, asked to speak with administrative assistant after all. The noise caught the CEO's attention and he looked up, a small smile spreading over his face.

"Ciel," He stated calmly and then nodding his head in the direction of a chair in front of the desk. "Have a seat, if you please." The young man affirmed the invitation and sat quickly into the indicated spot.

He watched as the CEO leaned back comfortably in his leather executive chair, fingers steepled against his lips, a hint of amusement in his brown eyes. Ciel shifted a little at the amused gaze being placed on him by the older man. He felt like some sort of lab experiment at the moment, being studied under the CEO's microscope.

"So, I see you finished the project I gave you the other day." Mr. Funtom started slowly, his eyes locking with the curious blue spheres across from him. A hand motioned to a stack of paperwork at the edge the desk. "Apart from the fact that you are obviously more than capable of handling such an assignment, do you know why I asked you to help?" He asked seriously.

Ciel thought for a moment, his mind was still sorting through the incident with his boss that had transpired shortly before entering this office. Worry and concern flitted through his mind as the image of Sebastian's pale face and shaky voice made the young man furrow his brow. Something had shaken the VP and it distressed Ciel greatly to see his lover so distraught, not to mention the cryptic statements whispered into his ear right before the meeting.

And then there was the previous night and the odd request made by Sebastian that Ciel not leave him. That thought alone perplexed the young man as he could not understand where in the world it had come from to begin with. Shaking his head, Ciel did his best to dispel the distracting thoughts and pay attention to more current and pressing matters in front of him.

Looking up at the CEO, Ciel chewed on the side of his mouth before answering. "No Sir, I don't." Then quickly adding, "However, I do appreciate the fact that you thought me able to give my opinion on such an important matter for the company." The young man did his best not to blush at his fast cover up reply. He was beginning to wonder if there was an acutal resson behind having this meeting.

Vincent nodded slowly, his eyes raking over the young man in front of him. He noticed Ciel's straight posture, how his shoulders stayed squared in his seat while slim arms held their hands together in his lap. Glancing up, his gaze flickered to the inquisitive sapphire eyes, wide and innocent, thirsty for any knowledge a wiser person could impart on them.

Another smile broke over the CEO's face; this is what he wanted, what he had asked his executive for; to bring his protégé to the point where Vincent could now take the reins in his training as his successor. Granted, Ciel wasn't as ruthless as him; yet, but he would be. The thought of molding this young man into his own image was making Vincent very, very happy.

"Your opinion was very welcomed, Ciel." Vincent stated, standing up and moving smoothly to look out the windows, his back to the assistant as he continued. "Also, it was quite intuitive and very possibly some of the best suggestions I have heard to remedy this issue in a while." The older man glanced over his shoulder to watch Ciel relax in his seat a bit, a content smile spreading over the young man's face at the praise.

"That being said," The CEO turned around again, striding purposefully over to stand in front of his desk and leaning back against the edge, both arms crossed over his chest. "I would like you to consider a proposition I have for you. I would like to offer you another position in the firm."

Ciel sucked in his breath, hardly being able to believe what was being said to him. Blue eyes blinking in disbelief, "I'm sorry, Sir." Shaking his head as if he knew he had just hallucinated the entire statement. "Could you be more specific?" The young man licked his lips in anticipation.

Vincent smirked at the obvious shock on the assistant's face. "I am asking if you would like to be promoted." Standing up and walking to gaze out the windows once again, the CEO explained. "FPE is need of a Client Development Manager, someone who can make our smaller clients feel important and at the same time give the intimate attention our larger projects crave. Your work on this project shows me that you have a keen sense of what our clientele have been requiring from us that we have been falling short of recently." Clasping his hands behind his lower back, the older man let out a deep sigh."To be honest, Ciel. I think your talents here are being wasted as an assistant. You would do much better and benefit the company further in a role that utilizes all of your talents."

Ciel sat frozen in shock and he stared at the back of his superior who was telling him how he should be in a higher position of employment. Just six months ago he would have agreed wholeheartedly with the man, but now, things had changed. The young man had learned so much from his boss in such a short time and he felt there was still so much more he could learn from the VP. The young man swallowed hard, his throat having gone dry suddenly.

"What would this position change involve me doing, Sir?" He asked, trying his best to keep his voice from wavering. Despite his conflicted mind set, there was no harm in finding out all the details of the offer, right?

Not looking back, "You would move to London, of course," he stated matter-of-factly. "You would report directly to me and work with Faustus to ensure there is no miscommunication between departments." The CEO raised a hand; placing the palm flat on the cold smooth glass surface while he waited for a response. When none came, he elaborated. "You need to be in London, Ciel. Where you can be properly molded." He whispered.

Ciel furrowed his brows at the unclear statement. "Sir, I don't understand. Molded?" The young man was thoroughly confused at this point. He felt like he was missing an important piece of the conversation.

"Don't misunderstand me, Ciel. Michaelis has done a wonderful job with you so far." The young man stiffened at the words. "I asked him to mold you into something worthy of being tested by a situation such as this one and you did not disappoint, much to my delight." The older male cocked his over his shoulder to gaze at the assistant who looked bewildered by the turn of conversation. "Tell me, what do you know of your parentage?"

The quick change in topic forced Ciel to focus on the new question, the previous comment about his boss slipping to the wayside of his mind. Again, the young man was confused as to the point of this new subject.

"Sir, I . . ." He was abruptly cut off by a wave of the CEO's hand.

"Call me, Vincent, Ciel." Turning on his heel, the older man walked to his desk drawer, pulling out a slim rectangular item from within. Holding it against his body, the CEO walked around the desk again and leaned against the edge as he had done previously. Ciel nodded in affirmation at the request and stared at the item in the man's hands for a moment before looking up into brown eyes again.

"Sir, I mean, Vincent." The young man began. "I told you about my upbringing when we first met in London. Is there something you don't understand that you would like me to clarify?" Ciel was doing his best to remain professional, but his instincts screamed at him that this situation was heading nowhere good.

"You could say that. Tell me, what did your mother ever tell you about your father?" Vincent leaned forward, his piercing gaze looking straight into the young man's line of sight.

"Not much, just that they met in college, they had me and he left. That's pretty much it." Ciel stated quickly and simply. He had told the story a thousand times whenever somebody had asked why his mom was single. However, was taken aback when the CEO started chuckling; that was a reaction he hadn't expected.

"Classy to the very end, aren't you, Rachel?" He said, more to himself than the young man. Ciel narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the mention of his mother's first name; he was sure he had not said it in London previously.

"How do you know my mother's name?" The young's man voice was cautious, waiting for a logical response to the odd question. The CEO's brown eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oh, I know quite a lot about, Rachel. Intimately well, actually." Before Ciel could ask another question, Vincent continued. "You see, it only makes sense that you know someone very well when you create a child together, Ciel." He cocked an eyebrow at the young man, giving him a knowing look.

There were times in Ciel's life where he could swear that his mind processed information faster than the speed of light. He would hear something and it seemed like he thought a million thoughts in the blink of an eye; this was one of those times. Air moved in and out of his lungs and his heart beat at a fast pace, but none of those actions seemed to coincide with what flew through the young man's brain at the moment.

Blue eyes widened as the realization of what was being suggested dawned on him and Ciel's jaw dropped open in shock. "I ... I," he stuttered, not finding his words. Swallowing and taking a deep breath, he began again slowly, "You mean to tell me that you and my mom ..." Ciel couldn't finish, it sounded too ridiculous out loud.

Ciel looked down as the rectangular object was passed from the CEO's hands into his lap. His fingers traced over the glass that protected the photo inside the frame and his breath caught when he took in the sight of his mother pregnant and the man standing happily next to her. He glanced up, comparing the man in the photo to the one in front of him and then looked down again; it was the same person, he was sure of it.

"You, you're," Ciel's voice shook and his fingers trembled as he ran them over the picture. He bit the inside his cheek to keep the tears from appearing. He didn't know why he felt the need to cry, but he all he knew was that now was not the time to breakdown. Not here, not in the presence of this man, his superior, his boss's boss, his father.

A hand reached out and wrapped itself around the smaller digits, pulling the young man from his inner turmoil. Vincent peered down at his son, his face softening a bit as he spoke. "Yes, Ciel, I am," he confirmed. "Now do you see why you should come to London? If not for your career, then for me? To make up for all the years we spent apart not knowing one another."

Ciel nodded, his body feeling numb from the onslaught of emotional information just now. He felt the frame pulled from his grasp and the sudden empty feeling forced the young man to wrap his arms around himself. He pressed his fingers fiercely into his body, the physical pain keeping him in the reality of this office instead of receding back into his mind.

The CEO placed the object behind him on the desk. "Just think about it before you make a decision." Vincent instructed quietly. "I am leaving at the end of the week and if possible, I would like your answer by then. Son." Ciel's head snapped up at the last word. It sounded so foreign and out of place coming from someone who, under normal circumstances, should have used it a thousand times by now.

"I will." He managed to squeak out, standing up stiffly. Vincent nodded and turned to go back to his original position behind the desk.

Ciel watched as the man sat down and picked up the stack of papers he had been looking at before this entire meeting had began, as if nothing had happened. Following suit, the young man walked out of the office, closing the door quietly behind him.

The young man had no idea how he made it back to his desk. His feet just plodded along the well memorized pathway while his mind shuffled through a thousand different facts. He had just found out who his father was and been offered a new position in the man's company. He was asked to leave the country, his family, his friends, his lover. The thought of Sebastian hit Ciel like a tone of bricks; what about Sebastian? He couldn't just up and leave the love of his life for the sake of his career, could he? Before Ciel could answer himself, a low voice pulled him back to reality.

"Ciel?" Sebastian asked gently, tone thick with worry. "Ciel, are you alright?" Blue eyes turned to concerned crimson orbs and the young man nodded silently. He noticed that he had in fact made it back to his desk and the VP hummed his disapproval at his assistant's mental state. "Listen to me, Ciel." He demanded lowly. "Is Alois home today?"

Another slow nod had Sebastian shaking his head, his hands gripped both of Ciel's biceps lightly, forcing him to pay attention to his boss. "I want you to go home to your apartment. Take the rest of the day off and I will be by later in the evening, alright?" The trepidation in the VP's voice was obvious and Ciel agreed to whatever was being said to him, too numb to do anything else.

He swallowed in response and Sebastian let out a frustrated sigh, closing his eyes and running his fingers through his dark bangs. He really could kill that man for whatever he said to put his lover into such a catatonic state, but right now there were more pressing matters, like, getting the obviously shell-shocked assistant home in one piece before he passed out.

* * *

Sebastian quickened his pace as he walked up the steps of the apartment building where Ciel and Alois lived. It was almost 7 pm before he was able to get out of the office and check on his assistant, not having heard anything from him since he had sent the young male home earlier in the day. The VP gritted his teeth in irritation as he thought back to how the rest of the day went.

The executive had locked himself in his office, pouring through various files and paperwork, anything to keep his mind occupied so he wouldn't do what he really wanted to. It took all his strength to not march down the hallway after Ciel left and shake his boss violently until the soulless man told him what had transpired behind the closed door of his office only a hour before.

Seeing his lover in such a lifeless state had terrified Sebastian. It was as if Ciel's mind had been locked away in itself and his body was just a useless husk moving on autopilot; blue eyes open, but not seeing anything. Fear gripped his heart as the executive wondered if part of that reaction was because of the part he had played in the CEO's scheme, but he quickly shook the thought aside. There hadn't been any anger in his lover's face earlier, just confusion.

Reaching the front door, Sebastian took a deep breath, closing his eyes and preparing himself mentally for what he was about to see. Hopefully, Alois had been able to comfort and maybe bring some life back to Ciel in the few hours that had passed. Raising a hand, the VP knocked on the old wood three times and waited, hearing footsteps approach the door.

Locks were opened and the knob turned, before the door swung inward and open. A concerned looking Alois stood in the doorway, his eyes lighting up a bit when he saw who it was that came to visit.

"Hey Sebastian, I was wondering when you were going to show up." The blonde greeted, his body language relaxing a little. The VP nodded and smiled as the younger male stepped aside, letting him enter the small apartment.

Immediately, crimson eyes locked onto a blanket covered lump on the couch, the only part of Ciel visible was a tuft of slate colored hair sticking out of the top. Slowly and quietly, the two walked over to the motionless mass as the older man removed his coat and scarf, dropping them onto a nearby chair.

Leaning down to Alois, "Has he been like that long?" Sebastian whispered, his gaze never leaving his lover's body. The blonde nodded and then shook his head sadly.

"Yeah, ever since he came home. The only thing he would tell me was that you sent him home and that you would be by later." The older man shot Alois a quizzical look and the blonde continued. "Then he laid down on the couch with the blanket and had been there ever since." Icy blue eyes looked up with worry, "What happened today? Why is he like this?" The blonde searched the older male's face for some sort of answer, but all he could see was tension in the handsome man whose attention was now on his roommate again.

"Could you give us some privacy, Alois?" Sebastian requested softly as he lowered his body onto the couch by Ciel's feet. A hand reached out and rested lightly on a blanketed hips, the form underneath stirring slightly at the touch.

The blonde nodded and leaned down to whisper in his friend's ear. "Hey Ciel, Sebastian's here to see you. I'm going to hang out in my room while you two talk, ok?" A shuffling of the blankets was given in response and the blonde took that to mean yes. Glancing at the VP cautiously, Alois strode across the small apartment and into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Silence enveloped the two as Sebastian didn't speak for a few minutes. He honestly had no clue where to start. Rubbing slow circles with his hand into the covered hip, he let out a frustrated sigh, his other hand raking through his dark hair. Nothing would get solved if neither of them spoke. Clearing his throat, the VP decided to start.

"Ciel." He stated softly, his hand shaking the immobile body a lightly. "Ciel, please talk to me." The was a low groan of protest and the blanketed form shuffled about before a messy haired head appeared from underneath the soft fabric. Sebastian smiled gently as the dazed blue eyes met his own and Ciel sat upright, hugging the blanket tightly around his body.

The older male felt the intense urge to pull his lover into his lap, hold him in his arms while he stroked the soft head, whispering soothing words that everything would be alright. But he resisted the action, not knowing exactly what Ciel's mental state was at the moment from whatever information he had received from the CEO. Carefully reaching out, long fingers gently gripped the younger male's chin, turning his head to look directly at his boss.

"Tell me what happened." Sebastian ordered lowly, red spheres searching the blank face in front of him. Closing his eyes and sighing, Ciel licked his dry lips before responding.

"He, Mr. Fun, I mean, Vincent," The young man corrected himself quickly, opening his eyes again to gauge his lover's reaction. "He offered me a position in the London office." Ciel waited as he watched Sebastian's expression, which oddly enough was not one of surprise. The VP only hummed and nodded for his assistant to continue.

Ciel's brows furrowed in confusion at the response, but kept going. "And then he, he told me that he knew my mother; intimately." His breath hitched in his throat, the words seemingly driving the statement more into reality than hearing it the first time. Quietly, Ciel forced out, "Then he showed me a picture of mom when she was pregnant with me and he was in it to." Shaking Sebastian's hand off his chin, the young man looked away. "He's my father, Sebastian." The young man choked out, voice catching.

Silence filled the room again as the VP watched his assistant try to process everything he has just said out loud. The older male forced himself to stay calm, it would do no good if he reacted prematurely to anything Ciel said at the moment. There was still hope that his lover didn't know about his involvement in all this.

Suddenly, Ciel's head snapped up and turned to look the executive straight in the face, his eyes narrowing. "Wait, he did say something else." The young man paused as he thought over the exact wording from the previous conversation. "He said that you did a good job molding me to be tested. What did Vincent mean by that, Sebastian?" The VP's face drained of all color at the question, the response not going unnoticed by his lover.

Sebastian's heart beat rapidly in his chest as he tried to quickly come up with an answer. He should lie, his entire being screamed at him that he should deny anything the CEO had told Ciel about him. But as the older male looked at into those inquisitive blue eyes, Sebastian realized that he couldn't do it anymore. This person, the reason for his very existence deserved to know the truth and maybe, if he did, then Ciel might be able to forgive him.

Sighing heavily, Sebastian gazed into Ciel's face. "Funtom wanted me to mentor you to the point where he could eventually step in and take you as the successor of FPE." Ciel's eyes widened with shock at the statement and the VP wrapped his hand's around his assistant's so the younger male couldn't move away if he tried.

"But why would you have done that? Mold the successor of FPE, unless . . ." Ciel's words faded as another realization dawned on him. He gaped at his lover, hurt written all over his shocked expression. "You knew." The young male whispered. "You knew he was my father, didn't you?"

Sebastian averting his eyes was all the confirmation Ciel needed and he ripped his hands free of his lover's. The VP's attention snapped back as Ciel quickly stood up, backing away a step or two, glaring down at the older male. Anger rolled off the small shoulders and the expression of pure fury shocked the VP into silence.

"How long?" Ciel spoke through gritted teeth, his eyes a dark blue with rage. "How long did you know, Sebastian?" Hands were clenched into tight balls at his sides and the young male did his best to keep them there, lest he hit something.

Cautiously, as if approaching a wild animal, Sebastian got up slowly as he answered. "Since New Year's. I saw the picture in your father's office in London and he told me about you." The older male took a step closer to the angry male, but received a low snarl that had him quickly halting his advances. Ciel closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath before opening them again to focus on the VP.

"How could you not tell me, Sebastian?" The young man's voice was low and even, with only the slightest hint of desperation laced throughout the words. The VP's jaw tightened at the cold tone, it was the same one he had heard before in the presence of his superior.

Desperately, he began to defend his actions. "I couldn't." Ciel let out a bitter laugh and Sebastian quickly continued so he wouldn't be interrupted. "He threatened to ruin me if I breathed a word of your parentage or what he had planned for you. Ciel, he would have destroyed everything I had worked so hard for in my lifetime!" He pleaded, his voice begging for understanding, red eyes heavy with emotion.

"And how he would have done that? By outing you?" Ciel snorted, his face twisted into a sick expression of disgust. Staring at the VP dead in the eye, he spat. "I'm glad to hear you had a good reason to keep the identity of my father from me all this time." Angrily, the younger male shrugged the blanket from his shoulders and strode up to face his boss, his head titled up as his accusations grew louder while Sebastian listened patiently.

"Good to know that something as important as your career was on line and not something trivial like my relationship with you! Or was that also part of the plan, Sebastian?" Ciel jabbed his finger into the older male's chest, earning a grunt of discomfort for the action. "Oh no, wait! That couldn't have been part of my father's plan because he doesn't know you're gay. Can't have him suspecting his 5-star executive is a fucking queer, now can we?"

Venom laced every word that fell from the once loving lips. "So taking my virginity must have been like a bonus for you, right? In addition to whatever you were being compensated with for molding me into the company's successor?" Ciel was screaming by now, his entire body shaking with fury and hurt. "Or was telling me you loved me and then fucking me just for shits and giggles?"

Pained red eyes took in the sight of his infuriated lover and Sebastian couldn't help, but agree with Ciel and his anger. But that didn't make the words hurt any less and the older male reached out, wrapping his arms around the heaving body in front of him.

"Don't you fucking touch me, Sebastian!" Ciel screamed, his hands pushing against the strong hold, body thrashing around futilely. He felt a firm hand press his head against the warm chest and listened to the VP's heavy heart beat under it as the older male leaned down to his ear.

"I never just fucked you." Sebastian breathed, his voice breaking from the emotion. He gripped the fighting body tighter to him, his eyes shut tight. "I always loved you, Ciel. You have to believe me." The young man kicked and scratched at his capturer, growling in frustration at being unable to get free.

"Liar! You fucking liar! Everything you do is to advance your career! Including me!" The vicious statement was followed by a sharp smacking sound the echoed throughout the entire apartment.

Sebastian's head recoiled to the side from the impact of Ciel's slap. He stumbled back a few steps, releasing his lover, eyes wide with shock at the brutal retaliation. The young man's chest heaved with anger and exertion as he ripped the ring from his thumb and threw it at his lover's chest. The trinket made a clattering sound as it collided with the ground, but neither paid it any attention.

Lower lip trembling and eyes glowing with hatred. "Get the fuck out, Sebastian." Ciel ordered firmly.

Sebastian sighed in defeat and he slowly collected his belongings before walking to the door. Looking back over his shoulder, his heart broke at the look of loathing on his lover's face. Swallowing hard, the executive opened the door and stepped through, closing it with a loud click.

The sound of the lock was deafening to Ciel's ears and he instantly felt all the strength leave his body, collapsing to the floor as anger was replaced by immense grief. Leaning over, the young man gagged, his stomach emptying what little contents it had on the hard wood.

He was startled as a pair of slim arms encircled his shoulders and Ciel leaned his forehead into the crook of the familiar scented neck. His had grabbed frantically at Alois's shirt, pulling himself closer into the comforting form that now soothed his shaking body. The blonde sat on the floor next to his friend, holding him as he sobbed relentlessly into this clothing.

"Sshhh, it'll be ok." Alois cooed, his hand rubbing small circles into the shuddering back. All he could hear was garbled words that came out between bout of heavy breaths and choked cries.

"He-e l-l-lied to me." Ciel bawled loudly, clawing into his friend's outfit with desperate fingers. "He fucking used me-e." The admission only made the young male cry even harder and Alois rocked body back and forth with his own.

"I know. I heard." The blonde continued gently. "They all do at one point or another." The statement only brought on more sobbing and Alois sighed in helplessness.

He couldn't leave his roommate like this, a crying mess on the floor. Ciel would never forgive him, if he let him wallow in his misery. His friend had far too much pride and after all was said and done, Ciel would look back on this event and be embarrassed by the weakness he had shown in such a time of adversity. Alois straightened up a bit and decided on another tactic.

"Soooo, what do you want to do about it?" The blonde asked carefully. He waited a few minutes as the crying started to ebb and eventually the river of tears turned into small sniffles and, unfortunately, a bad case of the hiccups.

Ciel pushed himself back and his red-rimmed eyes gazed up into the smiling icy blue ones. Wiping his nose with his sleeve, "What," hiccup, "what do you mean?" He asked, voice hoarse from the earlier screaming.

"Well, the way I see it." Alois began, his fingers brushing the wetness from his friend's face. "You can either sit here and let the bastard break you or you can get up and go on with your life." The blonde plastered on a brave smile and Ciel pouted, weighing the options in his mind. "First thing you should do, though," he continued, "is quit that fucking job."

Ciel shot him an annoyed look and shook his head furiously. "No, I'm not going to let him push me out of my career. Besides, the company is owned by my father. If anyone should leave, it should be him." Alois nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"That's it! You should get the CEO to fire his ass!" The blonde bounced up and down gleefully at his suggestion, but stopped when he saw the disapproving look on his friend's face.

"No, I'm not going to stoop that low." Picking himself up off the floor, Ciel wandered into his room for something as he spoke. "He can keep his job, since it's so damn important to him." He winced as he said the words, the wound of betrayal still fresh in his mind.

"So, what are you going to do?" Alois asked, getting up to grab some paper towel and clean up the mess his roommate had made on the floor. "It's not like you can go back there on Monday and pretend like nothing happened. He's still your boss, you know." Kneeling down, the blonde began soaking up the vomit, his nose wrinkling at the smell.

Ciel walked back into the room, his attention focused solely on the blackberry in his hand as he pressed a few buttons. Not looking up, "Not anymore, he's not." Lifting the device to his ear and speaking, "Hi. It's Ciel." Pausing for a moment as he listened before speaking again. "Vincent, I've thought about it and I have an answer for you."


	19. Chapter 19

"Here you are, sir." Ciel's head turned away from the window to face the soft feminine addressing him. The attractive blonde gave him a polite smile as the young man blinked twice at the comment in confusion. "The extra pillow you requested." She reminded gently as she placed the fluffy item onto his lap.

"Oh, yes, thank you." He responded quietly, blushing at having forgotten his request only a short while earlier. She nodded and smiled before leaving him be, making her way down the galley way to attend to another first class passengers on the long flight to London.

Ciel sighed and stuffed pillow behind his neck as he reclined in his seat in the darkened cabin. It was late at night and the young man should be getting some much needed rest before he landed at Heathrow Airport. But no matter how hard he tried, sleep seemed to be just of Ciel's reach and instead he resigned himself to letting his mind ponder over the recent events that led to his life being flipped upside down.

Shortly after Ciel had kicked Sebastian out of his and Alois's apartment, the young man had called up the CEO, and recently revealed father, telling him that he was more than happy to accept the offer of Client Development Manager in FPE's London's office. Vincent seemed very pleased with the decision and gave the young man specific instructions as to when he expected him make the move.

The following day there was a firm wide memo in the company email that proudly stated Ciel's change in position and when the young man would be starting his work in England, however, it did not inform anyone that he was the CEO's biological son. Ciel assumed that was something that would be brought to people's attention later and was actually grateful that the information was not public knowledge just yet. He had enough stuff on his plate at the moment and didn't want to have to deal with explaining things to people how this all came to be.

He did wonder, for a brief moment, what Sebastian would think of the email, but quickly shook the thought from his mind. It wasn't the young man's concern anymore how things affected the New York VP and he did his best to ignore the flash of hurt that tore through his heart at the reminder of his former lover's betrayal. It had been a week since the horrible argument and Ciel had been doing his best not to think about his former boss any more than was necessary for the transition to London.

Ciel was more than thankful when it was actually Vincent who suggested that the young man not resume his duties as the executive's assistant after the promotion announcement was made. Stating that Ciel should immediately begin to separate people's perception of what he used to do for the company from what he would be doing now. The young man felt a bit guilty for leaving the office and not saying goodbye to Finny, Mey Rin and Bard, but it was a small price to pay if it meant he wouldn't have to face Sebastian again so soon after their falling out.

That guilty feeling reminded him of another remorseful thought plaguing him; Ciel had given Alois only a week's worth of time to find someone to take over his space in their apartment. The blonde had put on a brave face as he listened to one end of the phone conversation Ciel had made with the CEO, but the flamboyant actor/waiter knew that by the time things were over, he would be placing an add in Craig's List in search of a new roommate.

Ciel had apologized repeatedly to his best friend for leaving him in a lurch, but Alois just forced a sad smile and gave him a big hug. The selfless action made Ciel want to start crying all over again and he almost did when the blonde went on to tell him that he understood that his friend had to do what he had to do and that he would be fine here in New York alone.

The young man promised to help pay his share of the rent until Alois found a replacement roommate, since his new job offered a salary boost and Ciel would be staying at a hotel in London at the company's expense until he found something more permanent. The gesture was graciously accepted and Ciel had hoped it would help compensate for his rash decision. However, after that afternoon, the young man saw very little of his friend as he packed up his belongings to shipped overseas at a later date when he actually had somewhere to put everything.

To most people, Alois's sudden absence from the apartment and lack of assistance in helping to pack would look like an immature attempt at guilting Ciel into staying, but the young man knew it was just his best friend's way of coming to grips with his sadness over Ciel's departure. The blonde was just doing his best to not make his friend feel worse by being there and letting his sulky mood permeate the living space.

Then a day before Ciel boarded the flight from JFK, he finally sucked up the courage to tell his mother all about what had happened and what was going on as a result of it. Closing his eyes, he thought back to that telephone conversation ...

'Well, honey,' Rachel spoke slowly, obvious disapproval lacing her tone, 'it is your life.'

Ciel nibbled on his lower lip. 'It is.' He stated quietly, knowing that his mother was not happy with his decision. 'But you don't think I should go, do you?'

She sighed on the other end of the line. 'Of course I don't, Cici. You're moving all the way across the Atlantic Ocean and so suddenly too. I mean, I know Vincent is your father, but . . .'

'But what, mom?' He asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Ciel hadn't been sleeping well as of late and it was making him unintentionally irritable. 'He's my father. A father I hardly know anything about and now not only do I have the chance to change that, but I also get to move along further in my career because of him.'

'Vincent, well, I don't want to speak ill of him.' Rachel sounded concerned and Ciel would bet anything that she was fidgeting with her fingers at the moment. 'But he changed after you were born and things that he considered important before no longer were to him. I just don't want to see you be disappointed or hurt by him, honey.'

It was Ciel's turn to sigh at his overprotective mother. 'Mom, I'm a grown man. I don't think my entire world will fall apart if I learn that the man who didn't deem it necessary to contact me for over two decades turns out to be less than perfect.'  _Besides, I've already been hurt and disappointed enough to last a lifetime_ , he thought bitterly.

'I know how old you are, but that doesn't stop me from worrying.' She cooed as she smoothed over her son's ruffled feathers before changing topics. 'So what does your new friend have to say about this change in geography? Won't he be bothered by it?'

Ciel cringed at the reminder of what he had been doing his best to not think about lately. 'Yeah, mom, I, um, that's not happening anymore.' He managed to get out in an even tone, although his heart raced as memories of Sebastian resurfaced. 'We sort of had a falling out.'

'Oh my, I'm so sorry, honey.' Rachel expressed with genuine regret in her voice. 'You seemed very happy with him. But this isn't one of the reasons you're escaping to London so quickly, is it?'

_Yes_. He thought before answering.

'No, mom. It's just a coincidence.' Ciel hated lying to his mother, but there was no way he was going to tell her the truth about the situation. Besides he didn't want to relive the entire painful experience again right now, not when he got to see it again every night replayed in his dreams in full surround sound. That was, until he woke up drenched in sweat and panting, heart racing as he slowly realized it was only a dream.

'Ok.' Rachel said with doubt. 'Just be careful, Cici, and call me when you land.'

'I will, mom. Love you.' She returned the sentiment and Ciel hung up the call before going back to packing up the rest of his clothing . . .

Blue eyes looked around sleepily as the captain's voice sounded over the plane's speakers instructing the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for arrival into Heathrow. Ciel watched as passengers began to put their seats in the upright position required for landing and it dawned him that he had fallen asleep for the remainder of the flight.

Following the orders, the young man did same as everyone else before settling back in his seat and looking out his window at the foggy English landscape quickly coming closer with each passing second.

After having collected his luggage from baggage claim, Ciel made his way out to see if he could flag a cab that would take him to his designated hotel when a voice calling his name stopped him dead in his tracks. Turning his head this way and that, the young man scanned the area for whomever was trying to get his attention. A broad smile broke out over Ciel's face when his eyes landed on a man with blonde hair and dark rimmed glasses waving frantically and calling his name.

"Ciel! Oi, American!" Ronald yelled, smiling widely as the young man walked over, laughing at the odd greeting. He stretched out his hand and shook the blonde's leather gloved one.

"Ronald, what are you doing here?" Ciel asked, incredibly happy to see the marketing assistant once again. He had enjoyed the time the two of them had spent together the last he had been in London and it was nice to have at least one friend already in a new city.

"Don't you get it?" Ronald asked while they walked along trying flag a cab. "We can't let the boss's son and newest manager land in the Mother land without a proper greeting, now can we?" He winked as Ciel's mouth popped open in surprise and blushed.

Sliding into the car, Ronald told the driver where they were heading, before Ciel got a chance to respond. "So, does everybody know that Vincent is my father?" He asked shyly. The young man had still been hoping for some anonymity seeing as he had barely comes to terms with information himself yet.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah. The whole office here knew about a few days ago. Apparently Mr. Sutcliff heard it from Paula who overhead it from Mr. Funtom on the phone. And well, we all know that Grell is the biggest gossip in the world." He waggled his eyebrows at his friend. "But don't you worry your pretty little head, Ciel. Nobody thinks that you were promoted because of who your dad is."

Another blush crossed over Ciel's face at the statement, the thought of that just now occurring to him. However, the young man was relieved to hear that this wasn't the general consensus around the office so far.

"So, how long do plan to live at the Grange St. Paul's?" Ronald asked, pulling Ciel from his thoughts. "I mean, it's nice and all, but it is a hotel."

"I don't know." He answered honestly. "Until I find somewhere else or I get a roommate or something." Ciel shrugged his shoulders, but narrowed his eyes suspiciously as a wide grin spread over the blonde's face. "What? Why are you smiling like that?"

"Oh, nothing." The marketing assistant hummed. "It's just that, I happen to have a 2 bedroom flat and it wouldn't be too big a deal if you decided that you'd like to rent one of the rooms. That is, when you get tired of living out of a suit case at some point."

Ciel's face lit up at the idea. He didn't know his way around the city so it could only help if he lived with someone who already knew the area. Besides, the young man had not been looking forward to living in a hotel for an undetermined period of time. He nodded emphatically in agreement before another thought brought a scowl to his face.

"You're not just asking me to be your roommate because I'm the CEO's son, are you?" Ciel furrowed his brows as he asked. It was a rude question, but one he felt needed to be aired. He wasn't about to use his relation to the CEO to gain favor from anyone; people should want Ciel for himself and not what his father could do for them.

Ronald shook his blonde mop. "Nope. That's not important to me. I've got bigger, more important reasons for asking you to move in, Ciel." He leaned forward and winked at the young male as the cab pulled in front of the hotel. "You and me are gonna drive the ladies of London wild."

* * *

Claude sat back in his office chair; fingers laced together, tips resting lightly against his thin lips. Golden eyes skimmed over the email he had just received from his boss detailing how he would be working with Ciel Phantomhive directly in the young man's new position as Client Development Manager. The CEO expressed in the correspondence with his executive that this interaction between the two would help retain clients and possibly attract new business by word of mouth.

A low snort resonated from the London VP and he rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. It was an absolutely absurd idea to create such a useless position just so the CEO's son could get a leg up in the company; at least that was how Claude viewed it.

The entire office had been buzzing about the new information that Vincent Funtom had just discovered his son after 20 years. Adding to the drama was the tale of how Ciel had been working in the New York office unbeknownst to the CEO for several months before the discovery was made. It was like a lifetime movie and everybody was eating it up; everybody that is, except for Claude Faustus.

The executive had been right all along; Ciel was something of importance to the CEO. A smirk spread over Claude's face as he began to mull through ways to use the owner's only child to his advantage. It was true that the VP didn't really like the young man nor the concept of a position in the company being created solely for him, however, that didn't mean that he wasn't happy about having him in the London office.

If Ciel was here, then it only could mean that the relationship with Sebastian Michaelis must have ended. Since, the VP knew there was no way the young man would have left his lover to move a quarter of the way across the world so quickly otherwise. There must have been something else that prompted the assistant's swift acceptance of the offer, followed by the sudden departure of America for England. Claude's smirk grew as he silently congratulated himself for being right once again.

All he had to do now was wait and watch as sad, lonely Ciel made his transition to London. Claude would give the innocent boy a shoulder to cry when things became too much; slowly gaining the young man's trust and luring him ever closer. Finally, when the time was right, the VP would make his move; like a spider watching its prey as it becomes tangled in its deadly web.

Golden eyes gleamed devilishly from behind crystal spectacles as Claude thought about all the things he could do once he had Ciel Phantomhive in his clutches.

* * *

A low groan sounded through the office, followed by a soft popping sound as Ciel cracked his back. He stood upright and looked quickly around the room, sweeping over everything that he had just spent the last hour unpacking. It wasn't as large as the CEO's or the VP's office, but it was all Ciel's and he earlier had to contain a very unprofessional squeal when he first saw the space which was reserved as his very own.

Dark wood lined the walls with matching bookcases and a large desk in the middle. A leather executive chair sat behind it and if he swiveled around, the new manager had a nice little view of London from his window. He would never admit it, but when Ciel had entered the space, the first thing he did was drop his box of stuff on the floor and proceeded to spin around in seated circles in his desk chair till he was dizzy.

With everything put in order, or at least, out of sight, the young man gathered up a stack of documents, pen and his blackberry to bring with him to his afternoon meeting. Taking one last look around the room, Ciel spotted the picture on his desk of him and his mother at his graduation. The picture brought back the memory of when Sebastian had picked it up in his bedroom and asked him about it not so long ago.

Ciel paused for a moment as the image washed over him and the hollow aching feeling he had been trying to avoid gripped his chest. Blue eyes pricked with the sensation of tears and he shook his head furiously to rid himself of the thoughts.

"No. You don't miss him." He growled at himself quietly through gritted teeth. He blinked rapidly as the feeling only increased. "He's a liar. He used you." Ciel forced out as he choked on a breath.

The buzzing sound of the alarm on his phone pulled the young man from his mind and he straightened his shoulders and posture. Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, Ciel willed himself into a composed state. He had to get a grip, this panicking was not acceptable, especially when the one causing it probably was sleeping just fine at night; not sparing a second thought about what he had done.

With his supplies in hand, Ciel walked out of his office and down the hall to his destination. It had been a week since the young man had made his trip to London, but he only just came into the FPE headquarters yesterday. The rest of his time had been spent ironing out the details of his move into Ronald's place, which was happening at the end of the week.

Stopping at a door, the manager spotted the purple haired assistant he had met on his last trip to England; Timber if he remembered correctly. The assistant just nodded at Ciel, giving no indication if he should wait or go right in. Sighing in annoyance, the young man just decided to knock on the heavy oak and hope for the best.

Hearing nothing in response to the action, Ciel opened the door and poked his head in carefully. His eyes landed instantly on the hunched over figure of Claude Faustus, the VP's head bent over some papers on his desk. Clearing his throat, golden eyes snapped up and the executive adjusted his glasses before leaning back in his chair.

"I knocked." Ciel explained as he stepped through and closed the door behind him. Making his way over to the visiting chair in front of the large desk and sitting, "You didn't answer so I just thought I would see if you were in." The manager did his best not to squirm under the cold gaze and he glanced to a bookshelf that housed various framed photos.

The VP watched silently, his face expressionless as he studied the young man in front of him. The executive observed how Ciel was obviously nervous, but was working very hard to hide it. Their eyes met for a moment and Claude took in the deep shade of blue that stared back before returning to inspecting the items on the bookcase.

Ciel tried to break the silence again. "Is that your wife?" He nodded his head towards a particular photo of Claude in a tuxedo and a woman in a white gown. Both wore small smiles on their faces, arms linked behind each other's backs while they held glasses of what appeared to be champagne.

"Hannah. Yes, she is my wife." Claude spoke finally in a bored tone. When the silence continued again, the young man spoke up.

"She's very pretty." Ciel complimented the stunning woman with pale lavender hair and indigo eyes. The VP nodded and leaned forward a bit over his desk, peering at the young man over his spectacles.

Summoning up some courage, Ciel pushed onward to another topic. "I looked over the client files that Vincent sent me and made comments in the margins. I think that if we reevaluate the original contracts it might help to discern wh . . ." His voice faded out as he watched the executive cock a skeptical eyebrow at him.

"How have things been, Ciel?" Claude asked in what Ciel could only deem as the VP's concerned tone, although it was the most unconcerned concerned tone he had ever heard. "Your transition here, I mean. It couldn't have been easy on you." The VP's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the young man's face pale at the inquiry. "Leaving everything behind, your family, friends, loved ones."

The sudden flash of pain that spread over Ciel's face at the mention of loved ones confirmed Claude's earlier hypothesis about the young man's relationship and he almost purred at the opportunity that had presented itself at the moment. Ciel quickly pulled himself together and looked the VP straight in the eyes; blue spheres burning with determination.

"Not as difficult as one might imagine. I had an opportunity to advance and I took it." He stated resolutely and Claude chuckled at the faux bravado the young man tried to show. Michaelis had taught the little brat well.

Standing up, Claude made his way over to Ciel. He leaned against the front the edge of the large desk, crossing his arms over his chest while giving the younger male a stern look. "Now, Ciel, we both know that's not the only reason you took this position." Blue eyes widened in horror, the knowing look in those golden orbs reminding him that at least one person in this office knew about his affair with his previous boss.

The young man opened and closed his mouth, not sure whether he should lie or just admit the truth to the VP. It wasn't as if Claude wouldn't understand or not sympathize with him, the executive was as much in the same boat as he was. How he found out was bothering Ciel though and he tried to think through all times he had seen Claude over the past few months, most of them had been with Alois. The young man's mind came to a complete stop as everything clicked into place and he groaned inwardly at the conclusion; Alois. The blonde and his big mouth must have told Claude everything, which meant that he must also know his and Sebastian's relationship was over.

"There is nothing to worry about or be ashamed of, Ciel." Claude explained, a hand reaching out to place itself firmly on the slender shoulder in front of him. The young man furrowed his brow at the touch, he didn't like the executive having purchase on any part of his body. "Just know that I am here for you during this time." He soothed before standing up again to make his way back to his chair behind the desk.

Once he was situated in his rightful place again, Claude motioned for Ciel to give him the documents he had brought with him. He placed them on the desk and the VP them picked up, flipping carelessly through a few pages before putting them back down.

"I don't think this is anything we need to go over right now." Claude stated evenly. "I can look over your notes and give my thoughts about them to you next week. Does that work for you?" Ciel thought for a minute and then nodded in agreement.

With the meeting over, Ciel stood and reached out his hand over the desk to the VP. Claude follwed and grasped the smaller appendage in his own, taking a little longer than necessary to hold it in his grip. Blue eyes gave a confused look at the executive and pulled back to break the contact. He really did not like this man.

Forcing a polite smile, Ciel turned and left the office, closing the door behind him and taking a deep breath of relief that the meeting was finished. There was just something about Claude that made Ciel's skin crawl. Giving his body a quick shake, the young man made his way back to his own office.

Claude stared at the closed door, a satisfied smirk playing over his lips. This would be even easier than he had first anticipated. The young man was an absolute emotional wreck over the end of his relationship with the New York VP. It wasn't overtly apparent, but the executive had caught a glimpse of the intense pain that floated just beneath the surface of the carefully constructed facade of nothing being wrong.

Chuckling to himself lowly, Claude planned his next move as he abruptly shoved the stack of papers Ciel left for him to read directly into the recycling bin without a second glance.

* * *

"Finally." An exasperated huff leaving Ciel's lips as he broke down that last box that had contained the rest of his clothing. Sapphire eyes swept around the area; taking in all the work he had accomplished in such a short amount of time.

The bedroom was small, but the young man had managed to fit all his belongings just fine. His bedroom in the apartment he had shared with Alois in New York didn't even have a door, so at least Ciel had some privacy here with door now instead of a curtain. The blonde had shipped the last of his things from the States and it had arrived on Friday, just in time for moving into Ronald's place.

Sighing, Ciel heaved the cumbersome piece of cardboard under his arm and made his way out into the hall towards the living room. He passed the one bathroom they would be sharing and Ronald's room before he stepped into the open kitchen and living room area. His bare feet were noiseless against the old wooden floors, but the planks creaked as his weight shifted with each step. Looking to his left, Ciel spotted his new roommate sprawled out over the couch in a pair of sweats and shirt, munching on chips as he watched sports on the television.

Leaning the box against the wall in the small foyer near the front door, Ciel took a minute to check out the items on the hall table. There were various knick-knacks placed randomly about, however, there was one particular bauble that had caught his eye from the minute he had entered the apartment for the first time.

Carefully, Ciel picked up the large triangular piece of crystal, turning it over in his hands as light played off the prisms within. It was much heavier than it looked and the edges were extremely sharp. Curious about it's meaning, the young man wandered back to living area with it where Ronald still sat, grumbling something about defense at the screen.

"Hey, Ronald, what's this?" Ciel asked, holding the item up and shaking it in the air. The blonde squirmed around in the couch so his head hung over the armrest upside down and the green eyes behind horn rimmed glasses could see what was being asked about.

"That," he answered as another chip made its way into his mouth, "is an award that FPE got for innovative marketing practices last year." Turning right side up and sitting back, Ronald scooted over so that Ciel could have a place next to him. The award was passed between them and the blonde held it out in front of him. "Heavy, ain't it." He commented.

"Yeah, you could really do some damage with it to someone if they broke into the apartment." Ciel stated, eyeing the sharp endpoints and nodding his head toward them.

"Yeah, you sure could. Guess it doubles as a home security system." Ronald sighed, handing it back to his roommate to put away. "And it's not an apartment, it's a flat." He corrected, grinning and wiggling his brows at the American. Ciel huffed and got up to return the award to its rightful place before flopping onto the couch once again.

"What are we watching?" Ciel asked, grabbing for the bag of chips. He watched the screen as men ran up and down a green field in shiny shorts, kicking a bi-colored ball towards the netted goals. "Soccer? Really?" The young man made a face at the program. Ciel wasn't a big sports fan to begin with and the only thing he knew about soccer was they had something called The World Cup every couple of years.

Ronald gaped at his roommate, utter horror plastered over his normally smiling face at the comment. "Please tell me you did not just say that." He begged and Ciel just shook his head, not understanding what the big deal was. The blonde groaned and rubbed his face with his palms, "I can't believe you don't watch football."

Laughing, Ciel pointed at the television. "That's not football, Ronald. What we are watching is something entirely different from football." The blonde's head popped up at the remark with a determined look on his face.

"Alright, Yank. Time you learned a thing or two." Ronald pointed to the game. "That is known as football on this side of the pond, not soccer. That other sport you play over there doesn't exist in England and the closest thing to it is called rugby. Got it?" Ciel nodded in unison as he continued. "And we live in a flat, not an apartment." Ronald made a circling motion with his hand around the room. Then grabbing the chips from his roommate's hands, "And these are crisps, not chips."

Ciel huffed in annoyance at the self-satisfied look on Ronald's face. What did it matter what things were called on this side of the Atlantic Ocean? It was till the exact same thing as in America, wasn't it?

"I'm going to lay down for a bit." Ciel stated after watching the game for a few minutes and realizing that he was starting to doze off. The young man had a big day tomorrow and the extra rest could only help at this point. Ronald nodded and turned his attention back to the screen.

Closing the door, Ciel flopped down onto his bed and breathed in the deep familiar scent of his comforter, the smell making him a little homesick. He wished Alois was here with him. His best friend would have made some completely insane remark about how it didn't matter what you called the sport, the guys were all hot running around in their little shorts. The thought made Ciel smile and he wrapped his arms under a pillow, resting his head on it so he could see out the window. It was raining, as seemed to be the normal weather during the English springtime.

Closing his eyes, Ciel let his mind drift. He thought about Alois and hoped he had found a nice roommate to share the rent with. He thought about his mom and hoped that she wasn't worrying too much over her only son's sudden departure to England. He thought about Sebastian . . . Blue eyes flew wide open as the one face he had been trying so hard not to envision filled his thoughts and his heart.

Ciel would be lying if he said he didn't miss Sebastian terribly. Every day was spent trying not to think of the older male and every night was filled with restless dreams that left the young man utterly exhausted in the mornings. So much so, that Ciel had actually taken to drinking coffee with breakfast just to pull himself out of the sleep deprived haze clinging to his senses.

A part of him, and not a small part, wished for the man's presence around him. Ciel longed to reach out and touch the soft skin one more time, to breathe in that intoxicating scent and run his fingers through those dark locks again. To have Sebastian hold him close and drown him in kisses and pleasure the likes of which he could only imagine now.

But that couldn't happen, not again. Sebastian had lied to him and had used Ciel for his own selfish needs to advance his career forward. There was no going back after that in the young man's mind. Even so, Ciel still wanted Sebastian here with him now.

Curling into a tight ball, Ciel held his knees to his chest and shut his eyes, letting the quiet tears run down his cheeks. The grey sky outside joining his grief as the rain mimicked his sadness.


	20. Chapter 20

Papers shuffled around, making a mess of whatever small amount of organization Ciel thought he had come up with. His hands pushed packets aside in search of the elusive yellow high lighter he needed so desperately at the moment. The young man wanted to find it so he could highlight some text in an old contract that had caught his eye and if he didn't mark it soon he might forget about it all together.

"Aha!" Ciel grinned as he grabbed the pen and bit the cap off with his teeth. Swiftly, the black letters were alight with fluorescent yellow and he sighed happily that the frantic search was over. "All done." He yawned, raising his arms over his head to give his back a good stretch. A buzzing sound caught his attention and the young man picked up his smart phone to see who was calling him at this hour.

It was late in the London office, about 10 at night and well past business hours for the firm. However, Ciel was usually still around at this time as he made it a point of not doing much besides working as of late. The young man had figured out that the best way to keep him from spiraling down into a deep depression was to not have any free time to think. So instead, Ciel filled his time with work, arriving early and staying late, before stumbling home to bed. Keeping busy throughout the day seemed to the solution to keeping his mind occupied for the most part, but nighttime was a different story altogether.

Where sleep was once a comforting escape from the harsh realities of the world, Ciel's nightly slumber had become a prison of memories. He had hoped that as time passed they would lessen in their intensity; however, it was quite the opposite. It seemed that the more he tried not to think about things during the daylight hours, the more his dreams compensated for them in the night.

'Hey!' Ciel greeted into the device that was now being held to his ear, leaning back in his chair and getting comfortable.

'Phantomhive!' Alois chirped on the other end of the call. 'How's it hanging, baby? Long and hard, I hope.' Blue eyes rolled as the blonde giggled at his own joke.

'You're an idiot.' Ciel breathed, shaking his head and laughing lightly. He missed his best friend so much, but with his busy schedule and the time difference they didn't get to talk as much as the young man would have liked. 'How's the new roommate?'

Alois hummed. 'Mmmm, he's ok.' Ciel listened to the drawn out answer and he understood that said roommate must be there at the moment. The blonde mumbled that he needed to relocate to his bedroom so he could speak freely and as soon as the sound a door closed, Alois opened the floodgates. 'Oh my God! He's so weird, Ciel! Do you know that he has a special pipe he smokes from?' He cried out in an exasperated tone.

Ciel laughed at the complaint. 'Well, what does he smoke with it? Anything good?' There was a thumping sound and the blonde exhaled as he flopped down on his mattress.

'I don't know, but it stinks!' Alois groaned dramatically. 'And then, like, his girlfriend is over here all the time and she doesn't talk. She just sits there in his lap while he smokes and takes bets from his tablet. Internet gambling or something.' His voice got more forceful as Ciel covered his mouth to keep from laughing harder. 'Oh! Oh, and she dresses like a total slut!'

'Then you two should be getting along great.' Ciel managed to get out before doubling over in a fit of breathy laughter, his statement earning an annoyed growl from the other end of the call. 'Maybe you can borrow something of hers to wear out.'

Alois snorted at the comment. 'Please, like I would ever wear anything that trashy. And it's not funny!' He shouted into the plethora of giggles. 'I have serious problems over here, man.' The blonde's pouty voice made Ciel attempt to compose himself.

'You're right. I'm sorry.' He snickered, getting the last of the laughing fit out of his system. 'You just have no idea how much I needed a good laugh right now, Alois.' The line went quiet and the blonde waited until his friend had calmed down before continuing.

'Is it really that bad?' He asked softly. Silence followed the inquiry and Alois shook his head in disapproval. 'Are you still not sleeping well?'

Ciel let out a long sigh. 'No, not really, I . . .' He stopped as he nibbled on his lower lip nervously. It was a habit the young man had been trying to break for a while now because it was childish, but when in situations like the one he was in now happened he reverted back to the familiar comforting behavior.

'Are you still having those dreams?' Alois asked when he realized that his friend was fumbling for something to say. A low hum from Ciel confirmed his suspicions. 'Dude, you need do something besides just working and trying to sleep. Go out and meet some people, get laid, anything!' The blonde tried to sound authoritative, but worry lay thick in his voice.

'I try, but I'm really busy, Alois and I don't have the time.' Ciel protested and his friend scoffed at the obvious lie. 'Besides, I can't just go out and do, you know, that with just anybody.' The young man let out an irritated huff as he continued to chew away on his lower lip.

'Spare me the bullshit, Ciel.' The blonde accused loudly. 'You could go out and find someone to take your mind off things if you wanted to, but you don't. And you can lie to yourself all you want, but not to me.' Alois's reproachful tone made Ciel feel like he was five years old again and being scolded for sneaking a cookie between meals. 'You don't want to find someone else because there isn't anyone else you want besides . . .'

'Don't.' Ciel cut his friend off and swallowed hard. 'Don't say it. Please.' His voice caught in his throat as the young man begged his friend not to say the name of the one person who had been haunting his thoughts relentlessly for weeks now. 'I just, I can't, Alois.' He whispered, willing himself not to fall apart at the resurfacing memories.

'Ok, ok, calm down.' Alois gave a frustrated sigh, shifting the topic a bit. 'Have you thought about, I don't know, maybe calling him?' A small squeak was made in response and the blonde hurried to explain. 'I mean, maybe if you listened to what he has to say then you might be able to get some closure or maybe even forgive him.'

'What the fuck, Alois?' Ciel screamed into the device, enraged at the proposition. 'You were there! You heard everything! So how could you even suggest I do that after what he did to me?' The young man slammed a clenched fist onto his paperwork and winced slightly as pain shot through his hand.

'Dude, calm down.' Alois soothed slowly, the sound of Ciel's angry heavy breaths alarming his friend. 'It was just a thought, nothing more.' When it sounded like he had regained some control, the blonde continued. 'It's just that you're so unhappy without Se . . . er, him.'

'Can we please just change the subject?' Ciel groaned, slapping his free hand over his face and rubbing his eyes. 'Anything, pick anything else to talk about. Please.'

'Anything?' Alois purred mischievously. 'Well, ok. Tell me then, how's my baby bear, Claude?' He giggled as his friend gave another groan, this one more in disgust than emotional distress.

'I don't know. He's the same, I guess.' Ciel shrugged, not understanding his friend's obsession with the London VP. There was just something about Claude that he didn't trust and if Ciel had a spidey sense it would be tingling every time that man was around. 'Dull as usual.' He added.

'Mmm, yeah.' Alois hummed. 'Do you get to see him every day?' Ciel rolled his eyes at the dreamy tone his friend's voice took on whenever he talked about the executive.

'Unfortunately, I do. And every day he's still the same boring monotone man he was the day before. Honestly Alois, I don't know what it is about him you like him so much.' Ciel admitted, making a face even though there was no one around to see it.

'Oh, you're just saying that because you haven't seen him naked.' The blonde breathed and Ciel shuddered at the thought. 'Te-tell me more.' Alois begged, his voice light and raspy.

'Um, about, Claude?' He asked, searching his mind for any bit of description that might worth mentioning. 'I think he got new glasses. I don't know though, I try not to look him in the eye any more than I have to.' An image of the cold amber eyes flashed in Ciel's head and he shook it back and forth to dispel the unpleasant thought.

'Mmmm, yeah, his gl-glasses are so fucking h-hot.' Alois mumbled, his voice hitching in his throat. 'J-just a-ah little more.' A whining sound made Ciel freeze in his seat.

'Alois, what are you doing?' He asked slowly, knowing full well that he was not going to like the answer.

'No-nothing . . .' The blonde gasped. 'J-just keep t-talking.' A small moan had Ciel cringing and holding the phone away from his ear.

'You had better not be jacking off right now!' The young man warned, a theory that was confirmed by another loud moan. 'Oh God! You're sick!' Ciel shouted into his smart phone. 'Stop that!' A low giggle sounded in response.

'Not everyone is prepping for a life of celibacy, Father Phantomhive.' Alois teased, a wide grin spreading over his face. 'Some of us still have needs, you know.' As to prove his point, the blonde began moaning lightly again. 'Oh yeah, just like that.' He breathed.

'I'll talk to you later, Alois.' Ciel said quickly, pressing the end button on the device as a devious laugh sounded through the earpiece.

The young man shuddered involuntarily as he thought about what he had just been listening to and he let out a heavy sigh as he calculated in his mind the last time he had actually pleasured himself. It wasn't like things were not working down there properly and when the need arose, Ciel took care of the problem, but it wasn't what he would call pleasurable. It was more of a mindless mechanical response to a biological need, one that was dealt with more often than not during his morning shower while he fought back the grogginess of not enough sleep.

Annoyed, Ciel tossed his phone to the edge of the desk furthest away from him. The electronic device landed on a stack of papers that it managed to pull onto the floor with a low thump. White sheets with yellow markings fluttered quietly down to the ground and the young man groaned at seeing what he had been working on for days now go tumbling into a disorganized mess.

Getting out of his chair, Ciel strode around his desk and kneeled down in a vain attempt to bring some order back to the chaos. Blue eyes froze on a grouping of old contracts, their pages littered with various markings and the young man's breath hitched in his throat as pieces began to fall into place.

"Oh my God." Ciel whispered, eyes wide with shock as he sat down on the floor to give the documents a closer examination. As he scanned the papers the evidence only became clearer. He would have to triple check everything, but Ciel was almost one hundred percent sure of what was so blatantly written in front of him.

Clients hadn't been leaving FPE because of a lack a personal attention. They had been leaving because they had been losing money; money that was being embezzled out by one of the company's own executives.

* * *

Late April in Manhattan brought very little change to the dreary weather that had persisted throughout February and March. It was still chilly out and most of the time it drizzled, however, on rare occasions the sun might actually peak out from behind the rain soaked clouds and offer the city dwellers a glimpse of what was to come in the warmer months.

This current morning had been especially chilly and most business men and women still tugged their heavy coats around their bodies to fight of the stubborn cold air. Most, that is, except for one particular executive who now leaned his tall frame against the stone wall of his office building; one hand running through his long dark bangs while the other flicked the ash from the tip of his cigarette.

Lifting the stick to his lips, Sebastian took a final drag and growled as he threw it away; that was his last one. The VP's tired red eyes looked around at the plethora of people running around in Midtown. Some were executives just like himself while others were sightseers who were out and about enjoying what the city had to offer.

His gaze fell on one happy couple walking hand in hand down the sidewalk; they were obviously tourists, most likely European. Even though the attractive pair had caught his eye to begin with, Sebastian's attention quickly became focused on the little boy walking next to the man and woman.

The boy looked to be about ten years of age, small and lanky, as he skipped beside the man who must have been his father. Dark hair flopped up and down his forehead as he tried to keep pace with his parents' longer strides and he giggled cheerfully as they strolled through city. But it was the child's wide smile and bright blue eyes that made the executive stare. The innocent action causing a flash of pain to a burn through Sebastian's chest as it reminded him someone else's face. Shaking his head to dispel the memory, the executive dug his hands into his pockets, wishing for nothing more than another cigarette in this moment now to take the edge off.

"Here." A gruff voice interrupted the VP's thoughts and his eyes locked onto a fresh cigarette being shoved his direction. Crimson eyes traveled up the well-dressed arm to take in Bard's reproachful expression, his own cigarette hanging from his mouth. "What are you doing out here without a coat any ways? You'll get sick."

Placing the stick between his lips, Sebastian accepted the light offered to him from his employee and the two each took a long inhale of smoke, letting the nicotine seep through their systems once again. They stood in silence for a few minutes, not feeling the need to interrupt their addictive high.

"Thank you." The VP said after a while. Bard didn't answer immediately, instead taking his time before speaking again.

"I didn't know you started smoking again. Thought the doc told you it was bad for your health or something." The blonde stated matter-of-factly, his eyes staring off in the distance at nothing specific.

Sebastian gave a bitter chuckle. "That he did," taking another drag, "however, recent events have shown me that no matter what you do some things are just out of your control. So why fight the inevitable." A loud snort from his employee caused the VP to turn and arch an eyebrow quizzically at him.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that, Michaelis?" Bard admonished with a disapproving look on his face. Red eyes stared back in surprise at the statement. The number two man in the New York office had never used such a tone with the executive and his lofty attitude grated on the VP's nerves.

Flicking away his cigarette and standing in front of the blonde, Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest. "Care to elaborate on that, Baldroy?" He asked, using Bard's full name. Crimson eyes narrowed in an aggressive manner, but the subordinate did not back down.

"Oh, come off it, Sebastian!" He argued back, puffing his chest out in defiance. "Don't go around spouting shit off like that when that's not who you are. You've never been one to leave things out of your locus of control." Bard poked his finger into the VP's shoulder, annoyed red eyes glared at the intrusion of his personal space. "You have to pull yourself together and quit moping around like some girl who got stood up on prom night." He huffed, refusing to look away from the murderous stare his boss was giving him.

"Really?" Sebastian growled, his patience wearing thin at the shift of power in their relationship. "And what would you know abo . . ."

Bard cut him off by waving his hand up. "We know a lot more than you think, Sebastian. The entire office is not deaf or blind." The VP's face drained of all color at the comment, his heart beating rapidly in his chest at the meaning behind the blonde's words. Seeing the panic start to spread over his boss's face, he quickly continued. "Look, I, we, Mey and Finny," running a hand through his golden hair and giving a frustrated sigh, "don't care what the situation was with you and Ciel. None of anybody's business, but your own. Got it?"

The VP nodded and averted his eyes, looking at the ground near his feet. Expensive shoes shined back at him and he took a deep breath to calm himself. They had been so careful, Ciel and him, making sure that no one in the company would suspect they were in a relationship together. However, in the end it had proved futile against the people they worked with on a daily basis and it seemed that they had not been able to keep suspicions from arising in their little office family.

"Bard." Sebastian started slowly. "It's not what you think." The VP racked his brain for a logical excuse to his employees' assumptions. "I was his mentor and . . ." A palm flew in front of his face and the executive blinked in surprise at being interrupted for the second time today.

"Nahhh, nope." Bard groaned, his other hand rubbing the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed. "Already told you I don't care to know." Turning to look at his boss's face again, eyes softening slightly. "But what we do care about is how miserable you've been these past few weeks and we all can't help, but feel that it has something to do with Ciel's promotion to the London office."

Sebastian let out a long sigh and slumped against the building again. "Bard, it's not as bad as you . . ." His voice faded out when he saw the knowing look the blonde was giving him.

The VP knew his employee was right; things had changed since he and Ciel had broken up. The executive had refused to hire another assistant and instead split that position's responsibilities between Finny and Mey Rin. He was short tempered with his staff and borderline rude to clients; his surly attitude apparent in practically everything he did. He still wore his expensive suits, but where they once were an addition to his already powerful presence the clothing now seemed to hang on his body; the finely tailored fabric being displayed on a lifeless mannequin and nothing more.

Sebastian was exhausted as well, seeing as how he couldn't sleep through the night. His mind kept replaying the events of the last time he had seen Ciel; how those bright blue eyes had darkened with hatred as they had looked upon him. He relived the painful words and harsh slap on a nightly basis as if it had only had happened yesterday and the worst part of the entire scenario was that he could only blame himself.

In a sick way, Sebastian felt that he had gotten exactly what he deserved in the end. For in his mind, what he had done to Ciel was inexcusable and it would serve him right if he lived the rest of his life grieving for what might have been. However, those bleak thoughts still couldn't destroy the tiniest bit of hope in the older man's chest that somehow, someway, Ciel would be able to forgive him for what he had done.

"What do you suggest?" Sebastian asked quietly, his tone one of absolute defeat. He looked at his employee, smiling sadly at the blonde who now was just chewing on his cigarette and grinning back.

"That's for you to decide, man." Bard bellowed, slapping his boss on the back and leading him towards the entrance of the building. "But one thing's for sure, you gotta do something."

* * *

Ciel paced back and forth nervously in his office, his mind going a mile a minute as he thought about what he was going to do. Wiping sweaty palms over his expensive suit pants, the young man let out a long breath as he tried to calm the nerves that were raging out of control throughout his body.

The information that he had stumbled upon a few nights ago had turned out to be true; much to his dismay. Ciel was now faced with the difficult decision of what to do with the disturbing illumination of facts that someone in the company had been embezzling an exorbitant amount of money from clients and depositing it into a fictitious LLC.

His first thought was to tell Vincent about the indiscretion, but that hope was cut short when the CEO made an announcement that he would be spending the next month in the Abu Dhabi office to oversee some new client relations that demanded his attention. So, that left the young man with no other option, but to handle the matter on his own.

Glancing back at his clock, he counted down the hours to the dreaded meeting in which he would have to confront the perpetrator with the accusations of money laundering. Ciel swallowed hard, the anxiety rising in his chest as the day progressed forward.

The young man hated confrontation and had absolutely no idea how to approach the situation. He tried to think back to the time he spent in the New York, attempting to recall anything that might help him out with what he was about to do. As much as he hated to admit it, Ciel wished with all his heart that he could just pick up the phone and call his former boss for advice, but that wasn't an option.

"You can do this." He reassured himself, voice shaky with apprehension. "You're an adult and a professional. So start acting like one!" The young man berated quietly, the words sounding more confident than he felt.

Blue eyes swept to the clock again and watched as the minute hand moved inch by torturous inch around the circular face. Just a little over half the day left before Ciel would have to make the trek down the hall and put the confident conversation he just had with himself to the test.

* * *

Long fingers strummed against the hard surface of the highly polished desk as the executive decided on his next move. Sebastian let out a frustrated sigh as his mind battled between what he wanted to do and what was actually acceptable to do. If he had it his way, the VP would just hop aboard the next flight to London and stand outside Ciel's doorstep until the younger male listened to what he had to say; an act that society might deem as stalking. So, instead of that plan the executive was going to have to settle for the next best thing; a phone call.

He really just wanted to know if the young man was all right; that Ciel had made the right decision in leaving him and going to work out of the London office in the new position that had been offered. If that were the case then maybe Sebastian could let him go, knowing that it was for the best. Because no matter what, Ciel's happiness and well-being had always been paramount to him. Either way, the executive needed to do something, seeing as how he could not continue on the way he was now.

With the decision made, the VP picked up the phone from his desk and hit the speed dial for the designated number he wanted. Placing the receiver next to his ear, he leaned back in his executive chair and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. It rang twice before the call was answered.

'Faustus.' The bored tone greeted.

'It's Sebastian.' The VP replied, feeling a headache coming on. Silence passed for a moment before another response was given.

'Michaelis, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?' He asked, voice smooth and almost smug sounding.

'Not pleasure; business, Faustus.' Sebastian corrected. 'I was just calling to see how things were going in the London office seeing as how we have had new management added recently. Also because Funtom left this morning and will be gone for almost entire month and you know what they say about when the cat is away . . .'

'The mice will play.' Claude finished the phrase playfully. 'Yes, that is the phrase I believe, but I hardly think that is your only reason for this call. The London office usually checks up on your progress, not the other way around.' He purred. 'So it begs the question, why are you really calling?'

Sebastian sighed, realizing that Claude had him at a disadvantage, a position he hated being in. There was information he needed and the only way he was going to get it was to deal with the London VP directly. Gritting his teeth in defiance, the executive swallowed his pride.

'Just tell me what you are insinuating that I want to know, Faustus.' Sebastian growled into the mouth piece. A low chuckle was emitted from the other end of the call.

'So impatient.' Claude chastised. 'A trait that seems to have been passed onto your previous assistant. That is your reason for calling, isn't it? To see how the little Phantomhive is doing?' The VP's silence only confirmed his question and Claude hummed lowly with satisfaction.

'How, how is he?' Sebastian asked with resignation, not really knowing which answer he would rather receive at the moment. He was not used to feeling so powerless, so out of control of his situation.

'Oh, Ciel is just fine. Better than fine actually.' Claude paused before continuing. 'He was a bit sad at the beginning, what with all that had happened between you two, but not to worry, I took the broken little soul under my wing.' A sharp intake of air from Sebastian made the London VP stop for moment. 'He's a fast learner, that one. Very dedicated in wanting to please his superiors, wouldn't you agree?'

'What?' Sebastian breathed out, his face pale with shock. 'You don't mean . . .'

'He's actually quite cute really.' Claude sneered gleefully. 'When he's on his knees lapping everything up like an eager pup. A little rough around the edges, but I took care to correct the mistakes in his technique.' The executive leaned back in his chair and gazed out at downtown London while he listened to his colleague try to come to grips with what he had just been told. Twisting the knife in further, 'He makes such lovely sounds too, whines and whimpers as he takes it all in.'

'Stop, please.' Sebastian requested quietly, his heart pounding erratically in his chest as he fought to keep from hyperventilating. 'I don't need to know anymore.' Forcing himself to breath normally, he swallowed hard. 'As long as he's happy.' The statement feeling numb on his tongue.

'He is, Michaelis.' Claude confirmed, his voice taking on superior tone. 'If I were you, I would just forget that you ever had any sort of relationship with Ciel Phantomhive and anyone else you ever associated with because of him. It will make things easier on you in the end.' Sebastian hummed in affirmation at the suggestion. 'Now, if you will excuse me, I have a client call in a bit.'

Quiet thank yous and goodbyes were exchanged before the call ended and Sebastian sat in his chair for a few minutes, letting the painful information wash over him again. Ciel was happy; this was what he had wanted to find out, right? The young man was with someone else and was content, his decision having worked out for the best. However, the knowledge did nothing to soothe the VP and instead caused a wave of immense grief to wash over him.

Sebastian screwed his eyes shut and he clutched his chest as a heavy sob like sound forced its way past his lips. Leaning forward in his chair, the executive's body shook as he fought to take regular breaths against the onslaught of emotions he was feeling. Gasping, red eyes flew wide open as Sebastian let the agony of what he had just learned truly sink in.

Ciel, his Ciel, was with someone else, in someone else's arms, kissing someone else's lips. It wasn't right, it shouldn't be this way. Sebastian shuddered as another sob tore from his chest and he grit his teeth together as hot tears trickled down his cheeks. Claude's words rang in his ears and he buried his face in his hands, groaning into the palms.

His mind raced as he desperately searched for a way to deal with the excruciating emotional pain. He thought about what Claude had suggested; that he forget about his relationship with Ciel and anybody ever associated with the young man. It seemed like a logical solution and might be the only way for Sebastian to cope with the loss of his lover. But could he really just pretend that he and Ciel's relationship had never existed? Was it possible to live in the normal world again after you had spent time in paradise? He didn't know.

Mulling the idea over in his head, the second part of Claude's suggestion came to the forefront. Sebastian froze as another thought made itself present, pushing his current suffering to the side momentarily as concern filled his mind.

Did Alois know?


	21. Chapter 21

It was late in the evening as Ciel paused outside the closed office door for a moment to collect his thoughts. His fingers curled around the excerpts from various contracts that he had photocopied and highlighted to use as examples as he glanced around the empty hallway.

Ciel had planned for this meeting to take place as late as possible, seeing as how he didn't want to be interrupted or worse, have someone overhear what was sure to be a lively argument between him and the guilty party. He was nervous and every fiber of his being felt electrified as he waited for what he would meet just on the other side of the wooden barrier in front of him.

Taking a deep breath, he straightened his shoulders and turned the knob, pushing the door open and stepping into the office. Closing it silently behind him, Ciel watched as golden eyes peered up from their paperwork at him, narrowing slightly in curiosity over what this entire meeting could possibly be about.

"I would be lying if I said that this meeting you have requested with me wasn't something of surprise." Claude commented, sitting back in his chair and motioning for the young man to the chair in front of his desk.

Ciel followed the hand and took a seat, his demeanor calm and collected. Blue eyes locked onto the VP's face and never left his gaze as he nodded, crossing an ankle over his knee. The office was dim, with the exception of a desk lamp that cast out a small bit of light and the illumination of London from the window behind the executive.

"Well, thank you for meeting me so late in the day." Ciel began, clearing his throat as he made sure not to break eye contact with the man. Claude quirked an eyebrow at him, his interest clearly piqued.

"You have my undivided attention. So, what is it that I can do for you?" The VP smirked, placing his elbows on the desk and leaning forward to rest his chin on laced fingers. Ciel took a deep breath before he spoke the speech he had rehearsed a dozen times in his head.

"I wanted to know why there have been so many clients that have left FPE's services as of late. I was wondering what your theory was on it." The young man asked carefully, watching the executive's stoic facial expressions closely. He wanted to see if the man felt any guilt over his indiscretion before he proceeded to the next stage of what he had uncovered.

Claude's face remained a mask of indifference as he answered, "To my knowledge most left because FPE could not offer them the same level of intimate service that other smaller boutique firms could." Ciel nodded in agreement, but pursed his lips as if he were trying to make sense of the statement.

"But is that the only reason?" Claude cocked his head to the side, his face still blank. "I mean, it seems like a simple fix for them. All they would need to do is voice their concerns and I'm sure FPE would have complied with the request." Ciel questioned, watching the golden eyes narrow in suspicion.

"What are you getting at, Phantomhive?" Claude asked slowly, his tone low and heavy. The young man squirmed a bit under the intense stare of the seasoned executive, but quickly reminding himself to stop. If he lost face now, his entire objective for being here would be ruined.

Taking a deep breath, Ciel continued. "I don't think the clients left because of a lack of individualized service. I believe they left because they were losing money through FPE." He paused; waiting for a response. When none came the young man finished his thought. "To be more accurate, though, their money was being syphoned out into another account."

Silenced enveloped the pair as neither said anything to the theory. Ciel held his breath as he waited for a reaction from Claude; a reaction that seemed to take an eternity to appear. His eyes followed the VP as the man stood from the chair and made his way over to a small bar near the window.

Not saying a word, Claude lifted a crystal decanter and poured himself a glass of the brown liquid inside. Glancing over his shoulder, the executive nodded to Ciel who shook his head no, declining the offer of a drink. Taking a long sip of the beverage, Claude walked over to the window to gaze down at the city below, his back now turned to the young man.

"That is an interesting hypothesis." He finally spoke, his voice cool and steady while turning his head to arch a skeptical eyebrow at the young man behind him. "What you are suggesting is a very serious allegation of embezzlement." Downing the rest of his drink, Claude whirled on his heel, slamming the heavy glass on the desk. "I wonder though, how did you come to such an idea?"

The sharp crack resonated throughout the room and Ciel jumped slightly in his seat at the violent display. His heart rate increased as he watched the normally cold amber eyes glitter dangerously at him and he was beginning to regret his decision about having the meeting so late when no one else was around.

Slowly and carefully, Claude spoke. "What proof do you have?" His burning gaze never leaving Ciel's as the VP leaned over his desk, supporting his weight with his palms so that he was only a few feet away from the now nervous young man.

Ciel swallowed hard, fear beginning to build in his body as he realized that it wouldn't take much at all for Claude to reach out and grab a hold of him. There was no one to help if something like that transpired, but the young man steeled his resolve and glared back furiously.

"This." Ciel stated loudly, shoving the stack of paperwork at the executive's face. Claude shifted back a few inches, his eyes skimming over the excerpts with yellow highlights. "These are all old contracts of clients that left FPE stating that they were unhappy with the level of service they were receiving." The VP stood and picked up the sheets, his expression unreadable as his eyes read the information laid out before him. Ciel took his silence as an opportunity to continue his explanation.

"The other thing that all these contracts have in common is a LLC that was setup as a subsidiary account; Phoenix LLC. It was written into every deal, but nowhere is stated exactly what is its purpose for being there, until you read the fine print in the endnotes." He stopped to take a breath, Claude not looking at him, but still perusing the documents. "Those specifically state that the LLC is designated to hold equity in liquid assets for specific situations that would require the client to use in case an injection of cash was needed for a future investment. However, when I looked into those accounts they were empty and financial records show that no money was ever deposited into them." The VP glanced up at the young man, a sadistic smirk coming over his face.

"I assume that you think I had a hand in this, since you are sitting here now telling me about it." Claude cooed sweetly, taking a seat again in his executive chair, watching the young man carefully. "But how does that prove that I had anything to do with that?"

Ciel sucked in a breath, not believing that with all the information in front of him, the VP was still denying involvement in the illegal act. "You wrote those contracts, Claude!" He practically shouted. "You were the only one to setup payment and to decide how much and where it would go. There is no one else to appoint blame to in this scenario!" Ciel stood up, his chest heaving in disbelief at the man's calm expression looking up at him.

Claude eyed the young man standing before him, his demeanor calm as the accusations were flung about. The VP regarded Ciel with a contemplative look that would fool most into believing him to be no more bothered by the situation than someone who had forgotten to buy milk at the store. However, beneath the quiet facade churned a violent storm of rage at being cornered and caught in his own game.

Sitting down, Claude relaxed himself back into his chair, his head tilting to the side as he looked over his spectacles at Ciel. "And what exactly do you plan to do with all this new found information?" He asked politely, his poker face intact; smirking as he watched the young man deflate slightly at the question.

Shaking his head, Ciel stood tall as he spoke. "I was hoping that you would be honest and tell Vincent about this." The incredulous look on Claude's face gave the young man his answer to that suggestion. "But I now see that won't be happening." Brows furrowing in disappointment. He had been hoping that somewhere deep inside, the VP would recant his mistakes for Ciel still believed that deep down, every person was innately good.

A low chuckle slipped past the executive's lips and Ciel stared in shock at the malicious noise. "Sweet innocent little boy." Claude chastised. "You truly have no idea how the world works, do you?" Golden orbs pierced through the young man. "Now why in the world would I go throwing myself onto a sword for no good reason, him?"

Ciel's mouth dropped open in shock, trying to form a strong rebuttal. "I-I won't let you get away with this." He whispered, reaching down to grab the papers from the desk. Clutching them to his chest, he squared his shoulders. "You don't scare me, Claude Faustus. I promise you that this isn't the last you will hear of this." The young man stated with conviction, turning on his heel and exiting the room, slamming the door behind him.

Claude sat in silence for a few minutes, growling to himself as he mulled over the conversation that had just taken place. What Ciel had said was true and the VP had no doubt that the annoying brat would do everything in his power to see these allegations brought to light.

Snarling, Claude slammed a clenched fist down onto his desk; the sturdy wood shaking under the assault. He would have to do something; soon, but what that was the executive wasn't sure of yet. The executive needed to find something the younger male wanted, something to barter with in exchange for his silence.

A thought made itself present as the VP mulled over options in his head. Maybe the key wasn't giving Ciel something he wanted, but instead to take away something he didn't want anymore. Claude chuckled to himself as a plan began to form in his mind.

* * *

Buildings passed by slowly as the traffic moved at a start and stop pace throughout the city. Red eyes gazed out of the town car's tinted windows, but saw nothing of the view; too captivated by his own thoughts that rushed through the VP's mind.

Sebastian didn't know what he had been thinking when he ordered Finny to call him a car so he could make an impromptu visit to Hell's Kitchen. The executive had no idea what he was going to say to the overly enthusiastic blonde waiter/actor/chorus boy, but he felt he owed it to Alois to at least inform him of what Claude had told him, that is, if he didn't know already.

Being Ciel's best friend gave Alois every right to loathe the older male now, but if it hadn't been for the young man's intervention on that snowy day in January, Sebastian may have never had the courage to tell Ciel he loved him. He owed Alois this much in return for that. Although, he would be extremely lucky if the young man was even home at this time of day and didn't immediately slam the door in the VP's face when he saw who had come to visit him.

Stepping out of the car, Sebastian wrapped his long wool coat around his body as he ran up the stoop of the building. An eerie sense of deja vu took hold as the executive climbed the familiar steps that led to the front door of what used to be Ciel's apartment. Raising his hand, the VP paused for a moment before knocking firmly on the old wood.

As he waited, Sebastian thought back to the last time he had visited this space. It seemed like only yesterday that he rushed up these exact stairs in the same hurried manner that he had just now. Except, the circumstances that had led to that visit were drastically different from the one today. The VP cringed as he thought that it was only a short while ago when he still called Ciel his, that he held the younger male tight against his body while they slept.

Sounds of shuffling footsteps pulled Sebastian from his daze and he listened as the deadbolt was unlocked before the door was swung open. The VP held his breath as he quirked an eyebrow to the stranger standing in front of him now.

A petite young woman blinked her eyes once or twice and remained silent as she surveyed the tall man in the doorway. Her short black hair was pulled back into two cat ear buns on the sides of her head and she leaned against the door frame in a very short and tight cheongsam. She didn't seem surprised at all by a stranger knocking in her door in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday.

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting for her to speak, Sebastian cleared his throat. "Excuse me. Sorry to bother you, but does anyone by the name of Alois Trancy still live here?" He watched as her large golden eyes blinked some more, but still said nothing. The VP furrowed his brow at the odd behavior and tried again. "He used to rent this apartment, you might remember him; blonde, slim, loud?" Still nothing.

A male voice called from within the abode. "Ran Mao, who is it?" The woman turned her body in the direction of the question and answered.

"Some man looking for Alois." She replied in a hushed tone; one that Sebastian could barely make out even though he stood only a few feet away from its origin.

"Well, bring him on in." The voice ordered and the amber eyes looked back to the VP again. Sebastian cocked an eyebrow, waiting for the invitation.

"You can come in." She said quietly before walking away, leaving the door wide open and not looking back.

Sebastian followed her, closing the door behind him, into the small living area. His gaze circled around the room as he noticed that not much had changed since the last time he was there. The biggest difference, despite Ciel's obvious absence, was the presence of a dark haired Asian man lounging comfortably on the couch. He tapped away on his tablet as the woman called Ran Mao positioned herself in his lap, her thin arms wrapping around his neck and placing her head on his shoulder.

Looking up from his work, the man smiled at the VP. "Ahh, so you're the visitor at the door." He stated brightly, delight evident in his voice. "Excuse my rudeness for not getting up to greet you. However, as you can see, Ran Mao has already made herself at home in my lap and I would hate to disturb her." He motioned with his hand for Sebastian to have a seat and the executive sat down, a confused look on his face. This had to be by far one of the oddest situations the VP had ever stepped into in his entire life.

"I'm not moving." Ran Mao stated quietly, but resolutely as she hugged her arms tighter around the man's neck. He laughed and patted her gently, the same way that one might soothe their ruffled cat.

"No, worries." He assured, picking up a long thin pipe from the end table and sucking on it. He exhaled a breath of sweet, heavy smelling smoke, sighing in pleasure from whatever chemicals he had just absorbed. "Now then," the man began again, "who might you be?"

The VP opened his mouth to reply when the sound of the front door opening and slamming shut caused the trio to look towards the loud bang. Heavy boots stomped into the living room followed by a long groan of discontentment.

"Dammit, Lau!" A recognizable voice complained loudly. "How many times I have I told you not to smoke tha . . ." Alois stopped dead in his tracks as his icy blue eyes landed on one of the last people he had ever expected to see again sitting in his living room. "Sebastian." He said lowly, eyes narrowing at the executive.

"Ah! So, that's who you are!" Lau cried happily, clapping his hands together. "We have heard so much about you; only, your name is normally preceded by an expletive of some sort." The blonde shot a dirty look at Lau and his seated companion. "Alois, Sebastian came here looking for you." The Asian smiled brightly.

"Uh-huh." The young man nodded. "Do you think you could, like, go somewhere else that is not here?" The blonde directed the inquiry towards the pair, giving them a knowing look. When nothing happened, he snapped. "Now!" Alois pointed his finger at the front door and glared furiously at his roommate and his girlfriend.

"Come, Ran Mao." Lau commanded cheerfully, patting her on the bottom so she would stand with him. "Let us go in search of some new adornments to place in your hair, shall we?" Grabbing their coats, neither gave the two men a second look as they exited the apartment, locking the door behind them as they left.

An uncomfortable silence settled throughout the space as Alois sighed and plodded over to the couch, dumping his messenger bag down before plopping his entire body with it. Slouching into the sofa, he ran his fingers through his blonde bangs and then turned his sight toward a politely quiet Sebastian.

Sky blue eyes scanned over the figure of a man who had once held an intimidating aura about him, however all Alois saw looking back at him now were dull red spheres that seemed to have lost their shine. The young man sucked in a quick breath as he realized just how awful the executive appeared to him and he wondered if Ciel looked just as bad. Not wanting to let the VP see his sympathy, Alois narrowed his eyes again.

"You look like shit." The blonde sneered, putting as much disdain in his tone as he could manage. When all Sebastian did was shrug, Alois's jaw dropped in shock and he wondered just how broken was this man since his friend had kicked him out a few weeks ago. He softened his voice some for the next question. "What are you doing here, Sebastian?"

The VP shifted in his seat, placing his elbows on his knees to he could look more directly at the blonde. "I am sorry for showing up unannounced like this." He stated calmly, his tone then turning serious. "But I'm here because I have something important to tell you."

"Wait!" Alois commanded, his palm flying up to halt the admission. "If this is something about what happened between you and Ciel, you can save your breath." Crossing his arms over his chest, brow furrowing. "I will not go arguing on your behalf to him. That's something you need do on your own." Alois smiled smugly at how adult he sounded.

Sebastian's eyes widened a bit. "You've talked to him recently?" He breathed and the blonde nodded. Long fingers reached out and grabbed a thin wrist, pulling the young man forward. "How often? When was the last time? What did he say?" The inquiries tumbled rapidly from the older male's lips; desperation lacing each one.

Alois jumped at the sudden contact, looking down to see his wrist being held in place by the VP's hand. He tugged his arm back, trying to break away only to find the grip tightening around it. Shocked eyes flicked back up to the executive's face, reading the anguish clearly written all over it.

"First, let me go and then I will tell you." The blonde ordered firmly and the VP released him, sliding back in his seat as he realized he had overstepped his bounds, holding both his palms up in atonement.

"I apologize." Sebastian admitted, "I didn't mean to be so rough." Offering a small smile, Alois grumbled while he rubbed his hand.

"It's ok." He frowned before shutting his eyes and letting out a long sigh. The blonde was conflicted over the information he was about to give out.

He knew exactly how Ciel was doing; he also knew that the young man would murder him in his sleep if he ever found out that he had divulged such knowledge to his ex-lover. Still, that didn't change the fact that Ciel was completely miserable since he and Sebastian had broken up. That no matter how much the young man wanted to avoid talking about it; Alois knew his friend needed to do something to get on with his life; one way or another. Making up his mind, the actor gave Sebastian a sad smile.

"Honestly, he's miserable without you." Alois soothed, his need to see his best friend happy again winning out over Ciel being mad at him. "All Ciel does is work and sleep, well, try to sleep anyways. I think he probably looks worse than you do by now." He laughed at the assumption, but the look on Sebastian's face quickly stopped that. "What?" The blonde asked.

The executive gaped at what he had just heard, his crimson eyes wide with disbelief that Ciel could possibly miss him as much as he pined for the young man. Alois leaned forward and looked up, approaching the older male carefully as one might do with a dangerous animal.

"I – I just, I thought . . ." Sebastian whispered, his mind going a mile a minute as he processed the blonde's words. Seeing that the executive was going to spout incoherent sentences for a while, Alois picked up the conversation.

"What? You thought Ciel had forgotten all about you? That he found someone else and moved on already?" The blonde shot the VP a skeptical look. "My God, you two are so dense sometimes." He sighed, obviously frustrated. "It's a miracle you even got together, since neither of you can seem to communicate with one another." Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the comment and Alois grinned at seeing a normal reaction from the man.

"That is not what I heard." Sebastian refuted slowly, the blonde's face falling at the statement. "I was told that Ciel had moved on and that he was with someone else." The VP's expression darkened as he relayed the information; Alois shaking his head in confusion. "Claude." He elaborated.

For a moment, the blonde froze; stunned by what he had just been told. A minute later he began laughing hysterically, doubling over and clutching his midsection as he rocked back on the couch in loud fits of giggles and guffaws. The VP sat back quietly, watching the as the young man fought to catch his breath.

"You . . . you're joking, right?" Another peal of laughter ripped from his throat. "Ciel and Claude? Together?" Alois giggled and wiped a tear with the back of his hand. "Ciel can't stand the guy." Forcing some more air into his lungs, the blonde composed himself enough to sit upright, still grinning widely. "Who the fuck told you that?"

Sebastian patiently waited as the laughing fit melted away, leaving only a few light chuckles before answering. Red eyes serious and voice low, "Claude did." The merriment left Alois immediately as disbelief crept over his expression.

"He . . .he what?" The blonde breathed; blue eyes wide with shock. "Why? Why would he say something like that?" Pain flashed across Alois's features as he took in the information and he averted his eyes to stare at the floor; mind sifting through his thoughts

The blonde knew he didn't really have any claim to the London VP, the man was married after all. However, that didn't stop the genuine affection he had for the man from growing over time and he still had hoped, as foolish as it was, that maybe his affections would be returned. Now, hearing Sebastian was tell him that his sometime-lover was saying he was with his best friend, denial seemed like the less hurtful emotion at the moment. "That doesn't . . . Ciel wouldn't . . ." Alois fumbled out loud, eyes beginning to burn with unshed tears.

Sebastian reached out and placed a calming hand on the shaking shoulder. "I don't know, but I'm curious to find out why he would make something up like that. He must have some motivation behind it." Alois blinked at him; eyelashes damp from his emotions, nodding his head in agreement. "Tell me, Alois, do you have a valid passport?" The VP asked softly, but firmly.

The blonde's head flew up, confusion marring his expression. "Yeah. Why?" Blue eyes saw the knowing look on Sebastian's face and a wicked smirk formed; denial forgotten and revenge taking its place. "We're going to go over and kick the fucker's ass, aren't we?" His voice getting louder with each syllable. "I'm going to kill that bastard." He hissed gleefully as thought of all the noxious things he was going to say to Claude once he saw him.

Sebastian let out a heavy sigh as Alois began to bounce up and down on the couch in excitement. "No, we are not going to London to do anything to Claude." He stated firmly, the blonde pouting at the order. "We are however, going to figure out what is going on. That is all, understand?" The younger male nodded emphatically, bounding off the sofa towards his bedroom to begin packing.

Although the executive didn't trust the malevolent gleam in the light blue eyes, he was just going to have to suck it up and deal with it. Alois was the only person Ciel would listen to as the VP was sure the young man would not listen to anything he had to say at this point. Therefore, Sebastian had no other choice than to bring the unpredictable blonde with him.

Pulling the blackberry from his coat pocket, the VP started to make the calls necessary to get two tickets on the first flight out to London. The sooner they got to the bottom of this, the better it would be for everyone.

* * *

Ciel yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he made his way from the bedroom to the kitchen. His bare feet padding along the wooden floorboards as he went in search of something to eat and drink, caffeinated preferably even though it was already past noon.

The young man had decided against going into the office today, given last night's discussion with Claude. It was Friday and Ciel thought taking an extra day off before the weekend would give him more time to mull over his options of what to do with the information he had discovered. That and he had no desire whatsoever to run into the VP again until he had made up his mind.

Ronald had knocked on his door at about 8 am, when Ciel sleepily informed his roommate that he would be working from home. A quick goodbye was shouted through the door as well as an explanation about how the marketing assistant wouldn't be home for the rest of the weekend. Stating something about going to leave right after work to see some soccer match somewhere; Ciel really didn't pay too close attention, instead burying his head back into his pillow.

Now eying the infamous stack of papers on the kitchen table as the coffee brewed, Ciel was happy to have some alone time for the next few days. It would allow him to weigh out all his options carefully; having already discarded the absurd thought of not doing anything at all. No, the young man would not, could not, let Claude get away with this indiscretion and turning a blind eye went against the very core of Ciel's ethics.

Grabbing his coffee and a muffin, he sauntered over to the paperwork and sat down, blue eyes roaming over the now familiar text. He sighed loudly and scratched his stomach through the soft cotton t-shirt he wore, musing to himself how he was not going to get out of his sweatpants today. Munching on the muffin, Ceil set about making a list of his options and began researching the ramifications of them.

A heavy knock on the door pulled Ciel from his intense concentration and his head flew up to look at the clock. Three whole hours had passed since the young man had begun his work; too intent in finding a solution that he even had forgotten to eat lunch.

Another knock sounded and Ciel got up to answer it; frowning as he wondered who in the world would be bothering him this late in the day on a Friday afternoon. The third knock had him grumbling to himself.

"Ok! Hold your horses. I'm coming!" Ciel yelled at the visitor, becoming more annoyed by the second. Placing his hand on the knob, the young man unlocked the deadbolt and swung the door inward to open it.

Blue eyes opened wide with shock at who stood on his doorstep.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Warning:** This chapter contains violence and material that some readers may find disturbing._  
  
"I need you to be on your best behavior, Alois." The blonde turned his head from the window to look at the stern voice giving instructions in his direction. The young man would much rather continue looking out at downtown London whizzing by instead of making eye contact with the New York VP at the moment.  
  
Rolling his light blue eyes, he nodded. "You don't need to remind me, Sebastian." He groaned before turning his attention back to the scenery again. "I'm not an idiot. I can control myself in a public setting, you know." The executive snorted at the comment and sat back in his seat; taking a page from Alois's book and staring out the window as his mind wandered.  
  
Sebastian couldn't even remember how many times he had been driven on the exact same route from Heathrow Airport to the London office like now. However, never before had he felt so unhinged about it. Trepidation flowed through his veins as each mile passed brought them closer to the building where he would see Ciel again and the VP couldn't help, but ponder over the different scenarios that would unfold once they arrived.  
  
There was, of course, the one Sebastian most hoped for in which he would see Ciel from across the room. Their eyes would lock, ocean blue and ruby red, as they closed the distance between one another until he could reach out and run his long fingers through those soft slate locks. Ciel would look up and smile, his own hand reaching up to cup the executive's cheek in his palm. Sebastian wouldn't have to say anything, because his own eyes spoke volumes of how sorry he was and Ciel would understand immediately. He would lean down and place a soft kiss on those plump lips; tasting the young man as if for the first time. It was a beautiful dream, but in the end, only a dream.  
  
That would never happen, if for no other reason than the fact that neither of them were openly gay at work, then because there was no way Sebastian would be so lucky as to have Ciel forgive him that easily. It was more likely that when the young man saw the VP for the first time since their breakup he would either glare daggers at him or just ignore him all together. A thought that had the executive extremely nervous and he strummed his fingers against on the armrest with even more anxiety.  
  
Sebastian glanced down to his index finger and watched as the blue gem on it glittered in the dim light of the cloudy England day. A small smile twitched at his lips as he thought about the time he had given the ring to Ciel and how happy they had been then. The ring itself was supposed to have been a symbol of their relationship, something that tied the young man to the executive in a world where neither of them were allowed to show their affections for one another publicly. Now, it was just another piece of jewelry once again; a constant reminder of what could have been.  
  
The car slowed to a stop and the pair hopped out; Alois stopping to gape at the surrounding buildings as he let out a low whistle. Sebastian walked through the front doors, holding one open as he waited for the enchanted blonde to follow him.  
  
Alois hummed as they stood in the elevator, his blue eyes looking around in wonder and excitement. They eventually landed on the man standing next to him and the blonde took in the sight of the powerful executive nervously playing with the piece of jewelry on his finger. The young man had given it back to the VP while they were on the plane, having collected it from the floor after the blow up between the two a few weeks earlier. He didn’t really understand the significance of the item, but since Sebastian had given it to Ciel he thought the VP should have it back.  
  
Stepping out into the FPE lobby, the VP composed himself before immediately striding down the hallway. Alois practically had to run behind the dark coated figured just to keep up, his eyes sweeping over the smartly decorated interior, all the while searching for any sign of Claude or Ciel. It was already late afternoon on Friday and many of the office staff had left work early for the impending weekend.  
  
“Oh, Sebby!” A high-pitched voice stopped Sebastian dead in his tracks, leaving Alois to slam face first into his back.  The blonde pushed away and grunted something about watch where you’re going before poking his head around to see what had caused the sudden halting of forward momentum.  
  
“Sutcliff.” The VP greeted with an annoyed tone as a man dressed entirely in red approached the two.  
  
The red head sauntered up to the executive, poking a well-manicured finger into his chest. “I didn’t know you were coming to London today. What a surprise!” He cooed sweetly and waggled his shapely eyebrows. “To what do I owe this little impromptu visit? Did you miss me, hmmm?”  
  
“He’s not here to see you, you damn fruitcake!” Alois snorted, taking a step out from behind the VP. He folded his arms across his chest and smirked as the flamboyant man’s jaw dropped. Sebastian let out a groan and rolled his eyes, knowing that starting an argument with Grell was the last thing they needed right now.  
  
“What would you know, you little brat!” Grell sneered, narrowing his green eyes into slits. He reached out to grab the blonde’s coat and shake him only to have his appendage brutally slapped away. “Ow!” The marketing manager yelped, clutching the abused limb to his chest.  
  
“Dude, keep your hands to yourself!” Alois retorted loudly. “I don’t want your drag queen cooties all over me!”  His head snapping up at the sound of Sebastian clearing his throat, an aggravated look set in the handsome face.  
  
“Enough, you two.” Sebastian ordered firmly and both bickering men took a step away from one another. There were very few people left in the office, however, the VP did not have the patience nor the time to deal with a crowd of gawkers who might want to see the hair pulling contest that this conversation was about to erode into. “Grell.” He fixed his gaze on the now complacent man and the red head batted his eyelashes at the executive. “I need to find Ciel. Where is he?”  
  
“And Claude!” Alois piped up, earning him a glare from the VP before slinking away behind the man again; poking his head out from around the black coat.  
  
The manager hummed to himself, placing a finger on his jaw as if deep in thought. “I heard from Ronald that the little Phantomhive had called in sick today. Apparently, when my assistant left for work this morning, his roommate wasn’t feeling all that well.” Grell pouted as if the information was somewhat upsetting to him. “And as for Faustus, I don’t know where he is.” Smiling brightly at the executive, "But I'm here." He stated sweetly.  
  
Sebastian rolled his eyes at the comment. “Alright, can I speak with Ronald, please?” He stated politely as the red head shook his head.  
  
“Sorry Sebby, but he left already. Going to a football game somewhere, I don’t know.” Grell made a sad face and then giggled. “I could give you his address if you like and you could check up on Ciel yourself.” He offered and leaned into the executive, winking, “but what would you like to give me in return?”  
  
The VP tilted his head to the side slightly, red eyes void of all emotion. “You would like some sort of payment?” The manager hummed in affirmation. “How about this? You assist in giving me the information you just suggested and I won't take it upon myself to see that you needn’t ever bother considering gender reassignment surgery as it will no longer be a necessity for you.” He informed in a deathly calm voice. Alois and the manager’s eyes widened at the threat, the malice and dark intent lining the honey-like voice scaring them both.  
  
The red head swallowed hard and nodded in compliance to the request, a delighted smile spreading over Sebastian’s face in response. Digging through his coat pockets, Grell retrieved his blackberry and began scrolling through the contacts list.  
  
“I’m going to email it to you, Sebby.” He said quietly, his voice having lost all its previous cheerfulness. With the correspondence complete, Grell placed the device away and looked up with wary green eyes to the executive.  
  
“Thank you.” Sebastian said as innocently as if someone had just held the door open for him. “Let’s go, Alois.” He commanded, looking down at the still shocked blonde before turning on his heel to walk back down the way they came.  
  
Alois stood there for a moment, knowing he had to follow Sebastian, but still trying to regain his bearings after what had just happened. Glancing up at Grell, he smirked and stuck out his tongue before quickly trotting along behind the VP to the elevators. As the steel doors shut, the blonde smiled, the sound of the red head's slew of insults being slung his way drowned out by the vehicle's electric hum as they descended downward; one step closer to their current goal.

* * *

  
Ciel blinked a few times just to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. He leaned against the open door, his mouth set in a hard line as he tried to think of something to say; the visitor taking the silence as an opportunity to speak first.  
  
“It’s bad etiquette to leave a guest to stand out in the hallway.” Claude informed politely, hands in the pockets of his suit pants. Golden eyes peered over the clear glasses, a small smirk playing on the VP’s lips.  
  
“Saying you’re a guest implies that I invited you over here.” Ciel snorted, making no attempt to step aside and let the man in. “Therefore, the rules of etiquette do not apply in this situation.” Lifting his chin and glaring, “What do you want, Claude?” He asked.  
  
“Must we really discuss my appearance out here?” The executive asked while arching an eyebrow. “Surely your mother has taught you better.” He nodded a thank you as the young man rolled his eyes and stepped into the apartment, allowing the VP to come in and close the door behind him, clicking the lock into place.  
  
Ciel didn’t go very far, spinning around in the foyer and facing the older man, stopping him short. He didn’t want Claude here in his personal space. There was no reason he could fathom that the VP had made the trek out to see him that couldn’t wait until Monday morning. Especially considering the conversation the two had shared the evening before, Claude Faustus was the last person Ciel Phantomhive wanted to be around at the moment.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Ciel questioned, blue eyes dark with displeasure as they watched the VP's long fingers brush absentmindedly over the various trinkets on the hall table. "I thought we discussed everything necessary last night." The young man watched for some sort of sign that he was correct, but the executive's face was a blank canvas of any telling emotions.  
  
"Ah, yes, that unpleasant exchange of words." Claude hummed before turning his attention back to the young man. Cocking his head to the side, the VP sighed. "I can see how from your end it might have seemed that the discussion was over." Ciel crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back slightly, confused as to what was being said.  
  
"I don't understand." He confessed, eyes narrowing a bit at the executive. "I accused you of embezzlement and you pretty much told me to shove a sock in it. I don't see how there is anything more to add to the conversation." An idea suddenly popped into Ciel's mind and his expression shifted to one of hopefulness. "Unless you're here to tell me you've changed your mind and decided to own up to it. Have you?"  
  
Claude chuckled, a dark sound that had the young man's face falling again. "So innocent." He mused to himself before looking straight into Ciel's eyes. "No, I have not come here to 'own up to it', as you so eloquently put it. I am, however," the VP leaned in, closing the distance between them some more, "here to do what I didn't get a chance to last night. That is, provide you with an alternative to you how you would like to handle the situation." The executive arched an eyebrow and Ciel furrowed his brow in question.  
  
"An alternative? Like, what? A proposition of some sort where I don't tell Vincent about you stealing money from our clients and you give me something in exchange?" He scoffed, laughing at the absurdity of the idea. The action ending quickly when the young man saw the serious look on the executive's face. "Really? What could you possibly give me that would make me even consider doing such a thing?" Ciel spat out through gritted teeth.  
  
Golden eyes bore into angry blue spheres as the VP closed the distance so that he was less than an arm's length away, practically hovering over the younger male. "It's not about what I can give you, Ciel, but what about I can take away for you." Claude breathed, his fingers reaching up to stroke the tips lightly along the small clenched jaw.  
  
Ciel gaped, his eyes wide as he jerked his head back and away from the older male's touch. "I don't understand. Are you threatening me?" He asked, clearly at a loss for what he was supposed to gather from the statement.  
  
"Not a threat, more like an opportunity for the both of us." Claude's voice was low and soft, tracing his knuckles down the length of the delicate throat. "It must be awfully lonely for you here, Ciel. Being in a new country; leaving behind all you knew and loved for a chance at success." The VP placed his mouth near Ciel's ear; the young man now stood frozen, like a small dear too frightened to move. "Especially Michaelis, I'm sure you still think of him often. Hmm, at night, maybe? When you're all alone and you touch yourself?" He whispered, grinning as a shudder ran through the smaller body. "Even after what he did to you?"  
  
Running the tip of his nose along the soft cheek, the executive continued. "I can help you with that. Take away the bad memories; replace them with new, better ones." Claude placed soft kiss on the corner of the small mouth and the young man's breath hitched in his throat. "All you need to do is let me."  
  
Ciel's eyes flew wide in horror as Claude's mouth enveloped his and one arm wrapped around his waist while the other held the back of his head in place. He struggled, pushing as hard as possible against the older male's chest with his palms; trying to turn his face away. This was not want he wanted, having Claude kiss him was making the young man want to gag. He opened his mouth to protest, but was quickly silenced as the executive's tongue filled the open space.  
  
Doing the only thing he could think of, Ciel bit down as hard as he could on the invading muscle. A heavy growl was given and the young man found his opportunity to free himself from the strong grip. Shoving with all his power, Ciel managed to push Claude off his person and the VP stumbled back a few steps, eyes wide with shock and fury.  
  
"What the fuck?" Ciel screamed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and spitting. "What possibly made you think that I would want to replace what I had with Sebastian with you?" Coughing and spitting again, the insults continued. "Ugh, God, that was disgusting! You demented fuck, what is wrong with you?" Claude watched silently as the young man's chest heaved with rage. "I will never, ever let you touch me the way Sebastian did. And I will make damn sure that Vincent learns what a lying, miserable fuck you really are, Claude Faustus!"  
  
Long fingers ran through black locks as Claude calmly fixed his glasses to sit properly on his face. A heavy sigh fell from his lips as he smoothed down the suit jacket. Finally, lifting his gaze to take in the furious person that was Ciel Phantomhive, golden eyes blankly staring back into cobalt blue.  
  
"I am so sorry you feel that way." The executive said quietly, clearing his throat and turning to leave. Ciel stepped forward to grab open the front door, but was blindsided as Claude whirled around, the back of his hand making direct contact with the young man's right cheek.  
  
He gasped as the hand slammed heavily into his face and Ciel stumbled to the side, falling into the hallway table and knocking the contents off. Breath left his body as it crashed to the floor, the sound of breaking glass and trinkets following the descent nearby. Dazed, Ciel grabbed the side of his face that felt like it had exploded only to have the wind knocked of him again as a pair of strong hands wrapped around his neck and began to tighten.  
  
Claude was on him in a second, his knees pinning down both Ciel's upper legs while he squeezed his fingers around the small throat. He smirked as the young man's hands gripped his wrists, jerking and scraping his nails against the skin in a vain attempt to free himself. A wheezing coughing noise fell from Ciel's lips as he fought for air, head banging on the hardwood floor as the rest of his body twisted under the older man's weight.  
  
"Cl-au . . ., " cough, "off-eh . . .," wheeze, "meh . . .," Ciel managed as his vision started to go blurry. He was losing consciousness and knew that if he didn't get more air soon his body would start to shut down on its own.  
  
As if by some miracle, the hands released him and the young man coughed violently as he took in glorious lungfuls of oxygen. The relief was short lived as one of the vice-like hands clamped over his mouth, right under his nose and Ciel screamed into the suffocating palm. Livid blue eyes stared up into amused golden ones and he once again tried to pry the appendage off his airway with his own two hands.  
  
"Shhhhh." Claude instructed softly, his smirk growing as he watched the fear grow in those blue eyes. "Someone might hear you and that would ruin everything, now wouldn't it?" He soothed in the same manner that one might use when calming a toddler after a nightmare.  
  
Ciel's eyes challenged the older male and if looks could kill Claude would have been dead by now. The VP chuckled at the venomous glare as his free hand trailed down the smaller body, fingertips coming to rest right above the young male's pants line. Blue eyes widened in terror as he felt the long fingers started to tug at the hemline of his sweatpants and he screamed into the heavy palm covering his mouth; thrashing his entire body around, trying to knock the older male off.  
  
This wasn't happening, Ciel's mind argued with the current situation. He couldn't let this happen to him; he had to do something; anything. He knew where this was going and the young man would not allow himself out victimized like that.  
  
"You think you're so smart just because you found out you won the genetic lottery." Claude mused, his fingers picking at the elastic and then snapping it back in place. Cold golden eyes danced as they watched the young man fight back with all the effectiveness of a fly trapped in a black widow's web.  A dark smile spread over the VP's face, "It's time you find out just how insignificant you really are, Ciel Phantomhive." Licking his lip, a low groan emanated from under his hand as the small head twisted in an attempt to free itself.  
  
He felt Claude slip the soft fabric past his hipbones and Ciel jerked his head left and right; using the older male's preoccupation with the clothing to his advantage. The hand shifted from his mouth to the side of his face and in that second, Ciel took the small opportunity to fight back, biting down violently into the soft flesh between Claude's thumb and index finger; the taste of blood filling his mouth.  
  
"FUCK!" The VP yelled at him, ripping his wounded limb away from Ciel's teeth; deep red welling up from the crescent shaped cut on his hand. "You fucking little bitch!" He growled and the young man took a second to gloat over the fact that he had fought back, even though he was still pinned to the ground.  
  
Seeing an opening to escape, Ciel twisted his upper body to the right, determined to get out from under Claude while he was distracted. But the moment he had spent enjoying his victory was a moment too long and Claude lunged over the desperate body beneath him, reaching out to grab something off the floor; his hand returning swiftly with an object in its grasp.  
  
In a split second, Ciel saw everything in perfect clarity. His mind registered as Claude's fist swung back with something crystal and heavy in it, small prisms of light reflecting off its base and sharp edges before it collided swiftly with his right cheek and eye. There was an instant where everything went bright white and then suddenly there was nothing, but agony.  
  
Ciel screamed so loudly that his voice cracked; both hands flying up to the right side of his face as the excruciating burn spread over his face. It felt like that entire side of his head had been shattered and his right eye throbbed and pulsated with pain. His palms cradled his cheek and he choked back another scream as a warm wet substance coated his fingers. It was blood, Ciel knew it; it couldn't be anything except that. If it wasn't for the copper scented fluid running past his ear, then the blinding pain would have told him just as much.  
  
What seemed like an eternity in slow motion to Ciel was in reality less than a minute; a minute in which Claude had more than enough time to drop the now bloody weapon and reassess the situation at hand. The young male lay below him, completely absorbed in the serious injury dealt to his face mere moments ago. Gagging noises and raspy gasps poured from his lips as Ciel tried to overcome the shock of what had just happened and Claude took the distraction to his favor.  
  
Ciel gasped for air as his entire body was quickly flipped over and he protected his injured face with his hands so it wouldn't bang onto the floor.  His one good eye looked around frantically as he tried to register what was going on as his hips were jerked sharply upwards behind him. Large hand gripped them tightly and the young man froze as the realization of the physical position he was in.  
  
"N-n-no . . .," Ciel protested weakly as his sweat pants were pulled completely down to his knees on the ground. Like a terrified animal, he dug his nails wildly into the floor over his head; trying to pull his body forward and away from what was transpiring behind him.  
  
He whimpered as his thighs were pushed roughly apart by Claude's hands and he grit his teeth as he felt the hand not holding him in place by his hip spread apart the fleshy mounds his ass. The older man snorted as he looked at the puckered entrance and Ciel kept clawing at the floorboards, his nails ripping against the wood to find no purchase; only pulling back ragged, bloody nubs.  
  
"You're practically a virgin, Phantomhive." Claude mused as he unzipped his trousers, licking the palm of his hand before digging into his pants to retrieve his swollen member. He groaned lightly as he stroked his cock hard and Ciel panicked as heard the unmistakable sound of a belt buckle being undone.  
  
"Pl-pl-please, d-don't." He begged hoarsely; screwing his eyes shut tight as Claude slapped the young man's ass, the clenched muscles releasing with the impact.  
  
Ciel drew his hands close to his head, trying to support his chest with his upper arms. The fingers now worn raw from grappling with the resistant floor and he laid the injured side of his face on the cold wood, whimpering as the sensitive flesh made contact with the ground. Exhaustion swept over him, his body having taken such a beating that all the young man could do now was lay there limp and useless; resigning himself to what would come next.  
  
Claude positioned his slick head against the unprepared entrance and grunted as he pushed in, his other hand holding a hip in place. Ciel screamed out at the ripping burning pain that tore through his lower half, every inch pushed in fissuring more of the delicate hole. He squeezed his eye shut tightly as tears began to stream out of his one good eye and Ciel forced himself to take deep breaths as he repeated in his head that this would all be over soon.  
  
"Fuck!" Claude groaned as he slammed mercilessly into Ciel's body, the sound of skin slapping against skin mingling with the older man's pants. "No wonder Michaelis liked fucking you so much. You're so fucking tight." He moaned as he rolled his hips into the smaller body. The VP's nails dug into the soft sides of Ciel's hips and they cut through the skin leaving small marks that bubbled with blood that would bruise shortly.  
  
Ciel whimpered quietly as every plunge scraped his upper body along the floor, his eye focusing on an electric outlet on the far wall. His lower half screamed in pain, a stabbing fiery pain that had the young man praying for the torture to end. It was the first time in Ciel's life that sex wasn't a pleasurable or loving experience and the young man tried to mentally block out the moans Claude made as he pounded into the broken body in front of him.  
  
Claude's thrusts became irregular and he pushed even harder into the abused hole until he finally came, a loud growl leaving his lips as the hot semen burned the irritated walls of the young man's muscles. Slumping over Ciel's lower back for a moment, the VP caught his breath as the younger male released a shaky breath; mentally thanking anyone who was listening that it was over.  
  
The executive pulled himself out and stood up; placing a hand on the trembling left hip before roughly shoving it to the side. Ciel's lower half thumped to the ground and he groaned loudly as it made contact with the hard wood beneath it.  
  
Panting heavily, Ciel pulled his arms to his chest and made an attempt to curl his knees up. Everything hurt, his entire body felt like it had been broken into pieces and even the slightest movement was excruciating. A blue eye watched as a pair of shiny black shoes came into view and he winced as he tried to look up at his attacker.  
  
Claude stood over him, adjusting his pants and tucking his shirt back in as he tried to mitigate his unkempt appearance. His head tilted to the side as he looked down. "I really hope I didn’t catch something from you." He stated calmly as he adjusted his glasses, sighing as he swept his fingers through his bangs.  
  
Ciel glared at the man with one blue eye, rage shaking his battered frame. The VP smirked, obviously amused that the young man still had enough pride in him to try and stare him down. The executive chuckled lowly before delivering a swift kick into Ciel's gut. The young man felt the air leave his body for what seemed like the tenth time that afternoon; his arms clutching his midsection as he gasped for air.  
  
Looking down at the writhing mess on the floor, Claude hissed. "Learn your place, Phantomhive." His golden eyes delighting in the sight of the broken and bleeding young man and the executive smiled politely as he stood back up, fixing the cufflinks on his dress shirt before spinning on his heel.  
  
Ciel listened to the sound of expensive shoes walk away from him to the front door. He heard the distinct sound of it opening, closing and then finally, the latch click into place. The only noise left now were his labored breaths and erratically beating heart.  
  
A choked sob tore from Ciel's throat in the deafening silence, followed by another and another until his whole frame shook violently from the uninhibited action. His mind tried to process what had happened, but it kept coming back to where he was now; lying on the floor, bleeding and damaged  
  
Ciel curled his aching body into a fetal position, a shaky hand reaching down to pull the sweats up again. He let out a small cry as the fabric slipped over his hips and sensitive backside; the feeling of something warm and wet seeping into the material was nothing he wanted to think about right now. Placing the injured side of his head in his hands on the floor, the young man lay there on his side; one eye wide as his breathing slowly began to return to normal.  
  
He didn't know what to do now. In all his life he had never felt to victimized; so powerless. Nothing made sense and Ciel feared not that he would die because death would have been a blessing to him as this point, but that someone he cared about would find him this way; disgraced and pitiful, bleeding on the floor.  
  
Shuddering at the thought, he closed his eye, welcoming the serenity that the slowly creeping darkness offered. Tears continued to run over the bridge of his nose, mixing with the blood on the floor by his hands and Ciel let the blackness overtake him; searching for only a moment's peace in the horror show that was now his life.  
  
 _ **Author's Note:** In 2010 the Center for Disease Control reported that 1 out of 5 women and 1 out of 71 men are raped at some point open their lifetime. While the numbers may look like men are not raped as often as women, the data is skewed since there were too few men who reported rape in the 12 months prior to taking the survey to produce a reliable 12 month prevalence estimate. This means that many of these types of sexual assaults go unreported for any number of reasons: fear of not being believed, denial, or the stigma that a man cannot be raped._  
  
 _Rape isn't usually about lust, but about power. The ability to dominate another human being against their will whether it is male over female, female over female, or male over male. Regardless of the pairing, it is wrong. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please, help them. Let them know they are not alone and that the act was not their fault. There is nothing worse in this world than being made to feel powerless and victimized by another human being and the mental ramifications that come from this type of thing happening can lead to many complications in life including, but not limited to depression, self-loathing, and suicide._  
  
 _There are numerous support groups and medical professionals who can assist a victim in taking the long journey back to reclaiming their own power. Please, don't be afraid to come forward and take your life back._  
  



	23. Chapter 23

In the darkness there was peace. The soft waves pushed and pulled gently at Ciel's mind, soothing the trauma of what had happened with blissful nothingness. Here, he thought nothing, felt nothing, the sweet embrace of oblivion his only friend who held his shattered psyche close as the world continued to move on without him. Time marched forward at a steady pace and he ignored it all in favor of this little piece of paradise where there was no pain.  
  
Ciel would have stayed here forever if he could, but even with all the comfort being offered to him in this dark Eden, he searched for a way out. His soul sought the light and it pushed back at the black edges of this reality in a desperate attempt to resurface. So, he followed the tiny light that appeared; its intensity growing as his mind awoke from what seemed like a deep sleep.  
  
Noises became louder, harsher, as the journey continued and Ciel groaned as he felt the first telltale signs of physical pain in his body. Someone was calling his name, soft and urgent, coaxing him from where ever he was to where he should be. A voice that he would have followed even if he were dead and gone; his soul would still fight to trail after the sweet sound of that voice. It was this lure that brought Ciel out of the darkness and back into the light.

* * *

  
"So, what are you going to say to him?" Alois asked as he padded after Sebastian up the stairs to the second floor of the multifamily house that was home to several apartments. The executive didn't respond, instead glancing down at his blackberry to make sure that he had the apartment number correct.  
  
The drive from the office to the address that Grell had given them had been a relatively short one, about 15 minutes or so. However, it felt like an eternity to the anxious VP who spent the entire ride trying to think what he was going to say when he would laid eyes on Ciel for the first time in weeks. When the driver had finally pulled up to the designated stop, it was all Sebastian could do to kept himself from bolting out of the car and up the stairs like some sort of crazed maniac.  
  
Stopping in front of a door, he checked the address on the smartphone again before reading the numbers on the door. Now he stood perfectly still, red eyes trained on the large piece of wood that stood between him and the love of his life. For the first time in a long time, Sebastian Michaelis had absolutely no idea what he was going to do.  
  
Alois stood behind that older man and cleared his throat, foot tapping impatiently on the floor. "Um, I would suggest knocking, Sebastian." Rolling his eyes when he got no response, the young man poked the VP in the back with his finger. "Standing out here all day is not going to get us anywhere."  
  
Sebastian glared down at the blonde, but acquiesced and raised his hand, letting out a heavy breath before rapping his knuckles against the door. They both stood and listened for signs of movement in the apartment; nothing.  
  
"Maybe he's not home." Alois said softly as the silence dragged on.  
  
The VP shook his head in disagreement. "No, he has to be home. Ciel wouldn't call in sick if he didn't have a good reason to not be in the office. He's too ethical for that." He swallowed the lump that rose in his throat at the memory of how adamant his assistant had been when it came to honesty and integrity. Raising his hand, he knocked again; louder this time and with more force.  
  
Red eyes glanced down to the young male behind him who shrugged his shoulders just before a low moan was heard on the other side of the door. Sebastian's head immediately snapped in the direction of the noise and he choked on breath as he pressed his ear against the wooden barrier. All he could hear was a soft shuffling sound, something akin to a small animal rolling around in a blanket on the floor followed by another low moan.  
  
His eyes shot back to the blonde who now stared at the VP with an open mouth; something was not right, he just knew it. Sebastian grasped the doorknob in his hand and prayed that it wasn't locked. When the lever turned without resistance and the door opened inward; taking a step forward, the executive could have praised God if it wasn't for the sight that lay before him in the foyer.  
  
Sebastian stopped dead in his tracks, Alois slamming into his back for the second time that day. "Dammit, Sebastian!" He cursed as he stepped around the tall man. "Quit doing that! I'm tired of runn . . . ," his voice fading out as he took in the scene.  
  
Ciel lay in the foyer, his body curled up on his right side. The floor by his head stained dark with blood as was his shirt and sweatpants; smears of red placed haphazardly all over the clothing. His arms were clutched into his chest, hands disappearing under his face; legs were crossed limply together, knees slightly bent. Soft labored breaths fell from his bloodied lips and it was obvious that the simple act of breathing was a challenge for his body at the moment.  
  
It was Sebastian who managed enough composure to speak first. "Alois." He said calmly. "Go downstairs and tell the driver to call an ambulance." The VP's voice sounded foreign and hollow in his ears, his wide eyes never leaving the barely moving lump on the ground. "Then wait for them to show up, do you understand?"  
  
Alois nodded, too stunned to do much of anything else. Glad that someone had taken control of the situation, the blonde turned around and stumbled his way out of the room and into the hallway. Sebastian listened as the sound of the younger male's footsteps disappeared down to the first floor.  
  
The VP stood there just staring at the small crumpled body that shivered before him. Never in his entire life had he seen anything so horrific and even now it didn't register what he was actually looking at. This broken, bleeding mess of a person couldn't be Ciel, it just couldn't. A strained groan slipped past the victim's mouth and raspy cough followed as an eye fluttered open briefly to show a glimpse of sapphire blue.  
  
In that instant, reality sank into Sebastian's mind. "Oh God." He breathed in horror at the acceptance that this person really was Ciel and he quickly moved out kneel behind the small body, shedding his wool coat and placing a hand lightly on a shaking shoulder. "Ciel, Ciel, are you OK?" The younger male groaned lightly and the executive felt stupid for asking such an obvious question.  
  
Leaning over, his eyes quickly scanned over state of Ciel's injuries, noticing that there was much more blood near his head than what could be seen from the doorway. Placing his lips next to the young man's exposed ear, "Ciel, baby? It's Sebastian. I'm going to take you to the hospital, alright?" The battered form groaned again and the eye opened a little to gaze blankly up to where ever the voice was coming from.  
  
Placing an arm under Ciel's head, Sebastian gently lifted the feeble body up by the shoulders. A pained cry sounded from the young man as he was lifted to the executive's chest, his head lolling backwards so that it hung over the supporting appendage. The older male shifted him a bit and used his free hand to pull the small chin toward his body. Sebastian sucked in a sharp breath as he saw the mutilated side of Ciel's face for the first time.  
  
"Holy shit." He whispered, crimson eyes wide in shock at what he saw.  
  
The right side of Ciel's face was swollen almost beyond recognition. The dried blood had caked his cheek and ear which had been cradled in his hands while lying on the floor. Slate hair was matted with the ruddy coagulating gore and there was a large pool of dark liquid where his head had been. There was still fresh blood seeping from the gashes across his face, but the worst by far was his right eye. The lid was completely fused shut as it bulged from its socket with a mixture of dried blood and some other yellowish liquid that Sebastian could only assume was an infection.  
  
A small whimper of discomfort left Ciel as he struggled to focus his good eye on whoever was talking to him and he blinked rapidly as the person came into view. "Seba . . .stian?" He managed to choke out before coughing violently; one grimy hand clutching at the VP's shirt tightly and marring the clean fabric with red prints.  
  
Sebastian wrapped his other arm around the shaking form and hugged it close to him. "Sshhhh, baby. I'm here. I'm here." He whispered into Ciel's ear, feeling the young male groan in acceptance and push himself further into the warm embrace. Closing his eyes, the older male placed a light kiss to the young man's forehead, the taste of copper and salt on his tongue.  
  
Releasing his hold, Sebastian moved his arm not holding Ciel up, down to wrap under his knees. As the long appendage slipped beneath the legs and started to lift, the young man let out a tortured cry; freezing the VP immediately in his actions. His frightened eyes searched Ciel's face as a fine sheen of sweat broke out over it and he panted harshly.  
  
"Hu-hurts." Ciel breathed unevenly, a hand moving down to tug weakly on the waistband of his pants.  
  
Sebastian stated at him in utter confusion. The older man hadn't been anywhere near Ciel's head a moment ago, so what had caused the sudden pain? Furrowing his brow, the executive let go of the knees and instead moved his arm further under the limp thighs, trying to assist Ciel in sitting more upright.  
  
"Baby, where does it hu . . .," His words froze in his mouth as his fingers brushed against the damp material between Ciel's legs. He fingered the fabric, feeling the wet sticky substance that socked the clothing, "What the . . .?" His eyes widened in horror as he retracted his hand to see the tips of his fingers slicked with a dull red. "Fuck." Sebastian whispered as the realization of what exactly had transpired in this room finally dawned on him.  
  
Ciel whined lowly as he buried his face further into the VP's chest, as if he could hide from all that was happening now in the older male's form. The young man may have been dazed with pain and his body was going probably going into shock, but he still felt humiliation wash over him as his former lover discovered the extent of his injuries.  
  
The sound of distant sirens became louder as they approached and Sebastian's head snapped up. He reached behind him and grabbed his long wool coat; wrapping Ciel's body in it from the shoulders down. The young man cried out in pain as the executive picked him up, trying to be as gentle as possible.  
  
"I'm so sorry, baby." He apologized as Ciel panted heavily into his chest, a mixture of blood and tears soaking through his white shirt. "We're going to the hospital." He soothed as he carried the younger male out of the apartment, leaving behind the blood soaked floor where the unthinkable acts had occurred.

* * *

  
Sebastian rubbed his face with his palms; long fingers running through his dark bangs as he let out a frustrated sigh. Leaning back in the uncomfortable chair in the waiting room of the Acute Medical Unit at one of the University College London Hospitals, he glanced up at the large clock on the wall to see that just over 3 hours had passed.  
  
It had only been an hour or so before now that he and Alois had stumbled across Ciel's battered body on the floor of his apartment. The VP shuddered at the thought as images of what he had seen flew through his mind again for the hundredth time that evening.  
  
The ambulance had arrived fairly quickly and the paramedics took the limp body from Sebastian's arms; placing it on a gurney and giving the young man oxygen while checking his vitals before loading him into the back of the emergency vehicle and taking off for the closest trauma center. The executive and Alois climbed back into the car that had brought them to the apartment in the first place and followed behind it until they reached the hospital. Since that time, the pair had been sitting in the exact same spot as they were now; waiting for any word from the doctors to what Ciel's condition was at the moment.  
  
After they had gotten situated in the waiting room, Sebastian had excused himself to the men's room where he immediately began to wash his hands. He watched dully as the clean water and foamy soap removed the sanguine substance from his fingers; a nonthreatening pink mixture making its way down the drain. Grabbing a paper towel, the VP dried his hands and looked at his room reflection in the mirror; grimacing at what stared back at him.  
  
His hair was a mess, sticking up in places it usually didn't. There was a rust colored smudge on his jaw that he rubbed away with a still damp wrist. Crimson eyes stood out against the pallid shade of his skin; dark bags prominent just above his cheeks. Sebastian clenched his teeth when he finally landed on his clothing.  
  
Red smears were everywhere and he could actually make out the shape of one of Ciel's handprints distinctly where the young man had gripped the fabric. A low growl left Sebastian's lips, his frustration and anger beginning to boil over what little composure he still possessed at the moment.  
  
The executive wasn't upset by the ruined state of his expensive attire, but instead was infuriated that it was Ciel's own blood that covered it. That some person had gone ahead and tortured and violated the young man in such an inexcusable way, then leaving him there on the floor to bleed out like some sort of dying animal. The idea had Sebastian screwing his eyes shut to hold back the furious, hot tears that threatened to escape and he gripped the edge of the porcelain sink tightly to keep his entire body from shaking.  
  
Taking a few deep breaths, the executive calmed himself enough to splash some cold water on his face before leaving the restroom. He couldn't lose control now, there was still too much of be done and he had to be strong for Ciel. Even having little knowledge about the extent of the injuries the young man had sustained, Sebastian knew that the recovery time from something like that would be long; not to mention the psychological consequences that came with it.  
  
Making his way back to the waiting room, the VP took a seat next to an uncharacteristically quiet Alois. Wide blue eyes looked up to the older man for guidance, the blonde's face completely pale and terrified by all that was happening. Sebastian looked down and sighed, wrapping his arm around the small body and pulling the young man close to him. Alois buried his head into the broad shoulder and clung tightly to the soiled shirt; doing his best to muffle the sounds of his crying in the executive's frame. After a while exhaustion set in and the blonde fell asleep; Sebastian moving him into the position where he slept.  
  
Alois mumbled quietly as he shifted his weight in the chair, Sebastian's wool coat being used as makeshift pillow under his head. Red eyes glanced over to the slumbering blonde and the older male wished that he could join him in a much needed rest.  
  
"Mister Michaelis?" A voice called out into the almost empty waiting room and the executive looked up; eyes locking on the source of the question. Standing up, he glanced down to make sure Alois was alright before walking over to the nurse who had called his name.  
  
Clearing his throat, he approached the petite blonde. "I'm Sebastian Michaelis." The nurse nodded and smiled while looking at her clipboard.  
  
"Alright. Please follow me. The doctor is ready to see you." She stated, motioning for the executive to follow her past some doors and down a long white hallway.  
  
Sebastian didn't like hospitals, nothing good ever seemed to come from having to visit one in his opinion and this time wasn't any different. The smell of disinfectant burned his nose and his eyes flitted about taking in the sites of sterile white and blinding fluorescent lighting. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to focus his attention on the tight bun of flaxen hair sitting on top of the nurse's head he was walking behind. She stopped in front of a light blue curtain and pulled it back; stepping aside to allow the VP to walk past her.  
  
Red eyes immediately locked onto the small form propped upright by way of a mechanized bed. A heart monitor beeped steadily as various clear liquids dripped through an IV into Ciel's arm. He was clean now of any and all traces of blood; random fingers were covered in white dressings at the tips and his hair fell softly against his forehead. The young man's eye was closed while the other was covered in thick sanitary gauze; his breathing low and even.  
  
Sebastian stepped closer, as if in a daze, seeing nothing, but Ciel in front of him. His mouth set in a thin line as he reached out and grasped a small hand resting on the bed; squeezing it, hoping to feel it tense in return. He swallowed hard and stared at the person lying before him, not knowing what to say at the moment.  
  
"Ahhh, you must be Mister Michaelis, I presume." Sebastian looked over his shoulder to see a white haired male in a doctor's coat approaching him; hand extended. Turning away from the Ciel, he accepted the handshake. "I'm Dr. Ash Landers, the attending on duty this evening." The man introduced solemnly; violet eyes soft.  
  
The physician walked by the VP and eyed a few things on the heart monitor before writing them down in a file. Smiling politely at Sebastian he began flipping through the pages on the clipboard. "Soo, what is your relation to the patient, Mister Michaels?" He asked simply.  
  
Sebastian thought for a moment, knowing his answer being important as to whether or not he received any further information about Ciel's condition. "He's my nephew." He lied and the doctor chuckled, shaking his head.  
  
"Come now, Mister Michaelis. You and I both know that isn't true." The executive's face blanched, but the doctor continued. "It doesn't matter anyways. You are listed as this young man's emergency contact therefore you are privy to all his medical records concerning this hospital admittance." He smiled as Sebastian blinked a few times in shock; having no idea that Ciel had done such a thing.  
  
"Then why did you ask?" The VP questioned, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, still holding onto Ciel's limp hand.  
  
"Oh, I was just curious." He smirked, winking at the older male. "Now, let me get you up to speed on the condition of your little friend here, alright?" Sebastian glared at the doctor, but nodded in agreement. The attending pursed his lips as he read from the board in his hands. "Ciel Phantomhive, age 21, has suffered severe trauma to the right side of his face followed by lesser abrasions to his hands and possible choking. Other injured areas include his solar plexus and lower body."  
  
Sebastian glanced over to look at the still sleeping form and shuddered as the description was being delivered with all the clinical coldness one would expect from a professional.  Dr. Landers put aside the clipboard and began pointing with his hand at each area of Ciel's body as he went into detail.  
  
"Ciel has a few bruised ribs on his lower left side, most likely the cause of some kind of blunt force impact. That should heal about 3 to 4 weeks to heal." Motioning to the dark purple blossoming on the young man's throat. "At some point, he was probably strangled, as you can see by the discoloration on his neck. However, we did an x-ray and there doesn't seem to be any further damage than the superficial marks you see now; that will also fade in a week or so." The doctor paused for a moment to gauge Sebastian's reaction. The older man noticed the silence and drew his gaze to meet the violet orbs.  
  
Dr. Landers cleared his throat, eying the older male warily. "I'm sorry, Mist . . ." Sebastian cut him off abruptly.  
  
"Call me Sebastian." He insisted, looking back down at Ciel.  
  
"Fine then. Sebastian." He smiled slightly. "What I'm about to tell you is very graphic and as well as emotionally disturbing. Do you think you can handle it?" The physician asked cautiously.  
  
"Yes." The executive confirmed, taking a deep breath. "Please, tell me the rest. I will do my best to contain my temper." Dr. Landers nodded in affirmation before beginning again.  
  
"Since you are the one who found him, it should come as no surprise to you when I tell you that the young man was indeed sexually assaulted. Upon observing his injuries, a significant amount of semen was discovered in his anal cavity along with blood from the tearing of what can only be assumed as unconsented forceful penetration by another male." Dr. Landers took another deep breath, his eyes trained on Sebastian's face. "We collected samples of that along with stray pubic hairs and placed them in a sealed rape kit. The hospital lab will hold onto until the patient decides to press charges; if he decides to press charges."  
  
"Blood was also drawn and is now being tested for various sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and herpes. Those results should be back in a few days' time." The doctor paused again for a moment; giving the large amount of information some time to be absorbed. "The anal fissures should heal within a few weeks' time as well." Pointing to Ciel's hands. "Considering the violence of the rape, in this situation, it is not uncommon to see numerous nails being torn almost completely out of their beds. It is normally a defensive act that the victim resorts to in order to fend off his attacker, either by inflicting pain or attempting to get away. However, that is really something I can only speculate about." Sebastian nodded; knowing exactly what had happened to Ciel's nails from the bloody scraps in the wooden floor just a foot or two above where the young man had rested his head.  
  
Sebastian silently told himself to breathe in and out; a weak attempt to keep his anger from bursting through what little self-control he had left.  He knew if he caused a scene, security would most likely remove him from the hospital and he would not be here for Ciel when he woke up. Although, it took all his willpower to not haul back his fist and punch something; anything would do, preferably the man who had put Ciel in such a state. Instead he decided to focus his energy somewhere else.  
  
"What about his face?" Sebastian asked in an even tone, his eyes flitting to the calm expression on his lover's face. "You haven't mentioned anything about that. When I found him, it looked, well, ghastly." Dr. Landers sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Yes, that is by far the worst thing here, but it's not his face we should be concerned with." The VP glanced up, worry creasing his brow. "The lacerations on his cheek and near his temple will heal fine, whatever caused them made clean, smooth cuts and as a result will leave little to no scarring. However, " the physician took another deep breath, one that had the Sebastian's mind tensing for whatever was about to come, "it is that exact same good fortune that creates the larger issue."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Sebastian asked, fear evident in his face. "What is the larger issue?"  
  
Dr. Landers shook his head sadly. "Whatever sliced so neatly into his face also did the same thing to his right eye. A specialist will be able to tell you more in a few weeks when the gauze comes off, but as far as I can tell the cornea has been completely torn apart and it might beyond repair." The VP sucked in a sharp breath, dropping Ciel's hand in favor of clenching his own fists at his sides.  
  
"Wait, what does that mean?" Sebastian barked, red eyes dark with anger. "Are you telling me that he might be blind? That he might even lose an eye?" He hissed through gritted teeth at the physician.  
  
Dr. Landers took a step back, holding his palms up in a defensive action. "I don't know. Like I said, I'm not a specialist so I can only make the most rudimentary judgment of the final diagnosis."  
  
Sebastian growled lowly, his calm mask beginning to crack away, revealing the barely restrained fury beneath. Taking a step around the bed, the VP began to make his way towards the terrified doctor, when a low groan caught his attention. Immediately he returned to Ciel's side and collected the bandaged hand in his own again.  
  
The young man struggled in the bed, moaning quietly in discomfort as a sleepy eye fought to open; dull blue peering through the heavy lid. Ciel’s unfocused gaze wandered around the room aimlessly at first; the powerful medication still blurring his vision before it locked onto the tall figure standing close to him, squeezing his hand.  
  
"Sebastian?" He whispered in disbelief, his voice raspy and jaw dropping open with shock. Sebastian smiled warmly and raised his hand to brush his knuckles gently across the swell of Ciel's cheek. Red eyes glistened with a touch of wetness as the VP took in the sight of the young man awake and talking; something the executive had feared he would never see again. Ciel leaned into the touch and sighed happily at the familiar caress.  
  
"Yes, baby, I'm here." Sebastian choked out, tone thick with emotion. The wide cerulean eye stared back at him in wonderment and awe; the drugs still having an obvious effect on the spaced out state of the young man at the moment.  
  
The sound of a throat being cleared caught their attention and both turned to look at the only other person in the room. "It's good to see you fully conscious." The doctor stated, walking back to the patient's side while eying the executive warily. Sebastian gave a sheepish smile in concession for his aggressive attitude from earlier. Studying the monitors next to the bed and smiling, "I'm your physician, Dr. Landers." He informed as Ciel watched him in amazement.  
  
Sebastian stood and observed while the attending did a quick medical assessment. The physician flashed a light in Ciel’s eye, telling him to follow the bright pinpoint. He placed a stethoscope on the young man’s chest and back, asking for him to breathe deeply. When nothing seemed out of place, Dr. Lander’s hummed in approval and flipped the clipboard shut.  
  
"Is this normal?" Sebastian asked, gesturing to the Ciel’s inability to concentrate for anything longer than a few seconds. “I mean, his behavior right now?” He arched an eyebrow at the doctor before looking back to young man who seemed to find his IV tube extremely fascinating for the time being.  
  
"Oh, that's nothing to worry about." Dr. Landers responded confidently. "It's just one of the more pleasant side effects from the pain medication he's on. However, we will observe him overnight to make sure tha. . ., " A loud whine interrupted his explanation and both older men turned to look at what made the sound.  
  
"No!" Ciel cried out, all color leaving his face. Monitors beeped rapidly as he lunged forward in the bed and roughly grabbed Sebastian’s foreman with his free hand. "I-I don't want to stay here. I want to go home." Desperation laced his voice, his entire body shaking with panic at the prospect of having to stay in the hospital.  "Take me home, Sebastian. Please, don't leave me here!" Ciel begged, frightened tears dampening his lashes. The terrified eye looked beseechingly up at the older male and the VP's heart ached to comfort him in any way he could.  
  
"Doctor, is there any way you can just discharge him tonight?" Sebastian asked, giving the frowning physician a pleading look. "I will be with him the entire time; I can assure you of that." Ciel nodded his head emphatically in agreement as he clung to the executive’s arm.  
  
"I don't know." The doctor mulled out loud, a finger tapping his chin. "That is a highly unusual thing to do; releasing a patient with Ciel's level of injuries so early." Violet eyes narrowed, giving the executive a stern look. “You do realize that if I agree to this, you will be responsible for his every medical need outside the hospital’s grounds?”  
  
"I do." Sebastian stated firmly, squaring his shoulders. “I will administer all his medications and watch over him 24 hours a day until he is recovered. Just give me what I need and tell me what to do.” Authoritative crimson eyes bore into the doctor, leaving little room for argument. “Is that sufficient enough for you?” He asked while cocking an eyebrow.  
  
An exasperated huff left the Dr. Lander's mouth. "Alright, I will sign his discharge papers.” He sighed loudly as Ciel grinned at the news. “I’ll send in a nurse to give you the prescriptions and show you how to properly use everything.” Raising his wrist to look at his watch before leveling his sights on Sebastian again, “The most important thing, and I cannot stress this enough, is keeping the patient’s wounds clean. Since he won’t be in the sterile environment of the hospital anymore, you must be extremely vigilant to keep them from getting infected.” The physician’s eyes narrowed at the executive. “Cleanliness is next to Godliness, Mister Michaelis.” He practically hissed.  
  
“Understood, Dr. Landers.” The VP confirmed. The doctor nodded before spinning on his heel and down the bright white hallway. When they were alone, his gaze returned to Ciel, who had laid his head back down onto the pillow.  
  
"Sebastian?" He asked sleepily while yawning, the recent outburst having left the young man feeling drained and incredibly tired. "You came for me. I heard you. You were," he mumbled, the one eye falling shut, "you were calling me." Ciel's words faded out and a soft snore slipped from his lips as he was asleep once again.  
  
The VP sat down gently onto the edge of the bed, his thumb stroking lightly over the small knuckles as he watched the peaceful expression that now hung over the young's man face. He was grateful that Ciel was alive, that he hadn't lost him when he had come so very close to that only a few hours ago, however, some questions still remained unanswered in the executive’s mind.  
  
Sebastian wondered about who had done this to Ciel. Was it just a random burglary that ended up going horribly wrong? No, what had been done to the young man had been intentional; thought out, planned even. The violence of the acts committed and the brutality with which they were delivered had been more personal than just breaking and entering for a few items to hock.  
  
Something dawned on the executive and his face blanched with horror at the thought; Ciel had known his attacker. That person had played on the young man's good faith and used it to gain entry into the apartment where things eventually degraded to the situation at hand. It had been someone who wanted to humiliate Ciel, dominate him by ripping away his pride in the vilest way possible. But who would want to do such a thing?  
  
Sebastian sighed at the convoluted information, rubbing his eyes with two fingers as a headache began to form. Anything he could come up with now was based on only what he had seen after the crime; at best it would just be speculation and not even a theory. It was with this logic in mind that the executive turned his attention back to the small sleeping form beside him.  
  
This would all have to wait; for now at least. Nothing could be assumed or done until Ciel woke up and told them exactly what had happened. Sebastian stared at the young man, knowing that when he woke up, Ciel would need him by his side, now more than ever.  
  



	24. Chapter 24

Groaning lightly, Ciel rolled his head to the side of the fluffy pillow, sleep starting pull away from his mind. He shifted his body a bit and let out a long sigh as one eye opened lazily, letting the light of day slowly bring things into focus. Looking around, the young man didn't recognize his surroundings and dismay forced him shoot upright in the bed.

"Ah, shit!" He cursed loudly as the abrupt action brought a shooting pain down his left side and through his lower back. Ciel's arm reflexively reached around to hold the aching spot, his eye blinking a few times in confusion as tried to make sense of where he was at the moment.

His eye wandered about the room, scrutinizing the beige walls covered with abstract art and modern looking brown leather furniture. To the left was door with white terry cloth robes hung on it and opposite of that were huge windows with views of London. Even though Ciel had woken up not knowing where he was, the space did seem oddly familiar to him somehow, as if he had been here before at some point. Suddenly, the realization dawned on him that he must be in a hotel, and not just any hotel, the Grange St. Paul's.

Ciel's mind worked quickly as the last events he could remember seeped back into his mind. Things were blurry, but he did recall being in the hospital; a thought that now had him looking down at his body. Taking inventory, he spread his fingers out in front of his face; they were clean and free of bandages, but certain areas where the nails had once been were now covered with a puckered pink flesh of healing skin. Another memory surfaced and the young man's hand flew up to the right side of his face, fingers trembling as they trailed over the thick gauze that wrapped around his head and covered his right eye.

He choked on a breath, panic rising in his chest as the memory of all that had happened roared through his consciousness. He had been attacked, beaten and violently raped. Things had gone dark for a while after that, but a voice had called to him, soft and gentle, warm and comforting, coaxing him away from the black haze and back into reality.

"Sebastian." Ciel whispered to himself, his other hand clutching his chest as the memory returned. Lifting his head up and taking a deep breath, "Sebastian!" He called loudly, the tone a bit weak from disuse. Footsteps sounded from outside the bedroom and the executive appeared in the doorway, leaning his tall physique against the frame.

The blue eye gaped at the sight of the older man; an overwhelming sense of joy surged through Ciel's body in knowing that he hadn't just hallucinated the executive being there. A small smile played on Sebastian's lips as he crossed his arms over the gray Princeton t-shirt he was wearing.

"You're awake." The VP stated softly, his red eyes warm. Ciel watched as he strode over to the nightstand, picking up an empty vial to read the label. "I was wondering when the last of this stuff was going to wear off." His gaze flitted over to the young man. "Morphine. I gave you your final injection of it yesterday. Strong stuff." Setting it back down, the executive leaned over the small frame to have a closer look.

"You . . . you're here." Ciel breathed out, finally having enough composure to form words. He as in awe at seeing the VP again; in the flesh and nor just his mind. Those thoughts were quickly set aside as logic began raise questions, brows furrowing in confusion. "Wait. Why are you here? In London, I mean. Why are you here in London?" Sebastian smirked and sat down on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on the blanket covered leg.

"I came here to see you actually." He answered carefully, crimson eyes warily searching the distressed face. "I wanted to talk to you, make sure that you were doing ok." The executive's voice was low and hesitant. He didn't want to give Ciel the impression that he had been stalking him or make him feel threatened in any way.

"But why?" Ciel's eye narrowing in suspicion, sensing there was more to the simple statement. "What prompted you to fly all the way over here? It couldn't have been just to check on me. A phone call would have sufficed." Sebastian averted his eyes for a moment and the young man knew he was right in his theory. "Tell me." He commanded sternly.

Deciding that now was not the time to get into an argument with the recovering young man; the executive closed the topic quickly. "I had some things that I needed to look into over here." He answered smoothly, the statement closer to the truth than he liked. "However, that has all been set aside for now." Sebastian looked directly into Ciel's eye and in a soft, serious voice, "There are more important things that require my attention at the moment."

Gently, the executive reached out and held one of Ciel's hands in his own, rubbing his thumb reassuringly over the small knuckles. "Ciel," he started calmly, never breaking eye contact, "do you remember what happened to you?" The older male waited, observing the way young man's face paled of all color as the disturbing past events replayed in his mind.

The sapphire orb glanced away, the eye fixing on a painting on the far wall and he nodded slowly; a heavy shudder running through his frail form. He gave a startled yelp when Sebastian suddenly enveloped him in his strong arms, pressing the young man's head into his shoulder as he rubbed his back. Ciel instantly found himself reciprocating the consoling gesture, pushing his body further into older male's chest, breathing in deeply the much missed masculine scent.

"It's ok." Sebastian soothed; his lips next to Ciel's ear. "Everything will be alright. I will be right here by your side until you order me away." The young man gripped the firm body tighter to him in response to the declaration; squeezing his eye shut to ward off any tears that might fall. He felt safe and protected at the moment as Sebastian held him close and as much as his mind was at war with him to not cling to the executive in such a desperate fashion, the young man couldn't find it in himself to care otherwise.

Releasing Ciel so he could lay back against the pillows again, "We don't have to talk about this right now." Sebastian assured calmly. "However, you will have to speak to the police at some point about everything. I've managed to convince them to leave you alone for a few days, but they really want your account of the attack before the week's end." The young man's jaw dropped in shock.

"A few days?" Ciel gave the VP a confused look before disbelief spread over his face. "Wait. How long was I, what day is it?" Anxiety grabbed ahold of the younger male as he tried desperately to calculate how long it had been since the assault.

"It's Wednesday." Sebastian replied evenly. "You've been under heavy sedation since early Saturday morning. The doctor thought best for you to get as much rest as possible, so you've been in and out of consciousness since they released you from the hospital." Ciel shot the VP an angry look.

"Well, if I needed to be doped up so heavily, then why am I not in the hospital now?" He spat, crossing his arms over his chest in a huff.

The executive cocked his head to the side and smirked. "You begged me not to leave you there, remember?" The younger male blushed, having conveniently forgotten the embarrassing outburst from earlier somehow. "You made quite a fuss too. The doctor had no choice, but to let you leave with specific instructions on how I was to take care of you." Sebastian teased lightly, making Ciel's face burn even redder. Another thought arose in the young man's mind and the topic turned from one of past happenings to more current affairs.

"What about Ronald? Oh my God!" Ciel practically shouted, grabbing a hold of the executive's shirt. "Did anybody tell him? And what about the apartment? He's going to be so pissed!" He rambled off each thought as they popped into his head; breathing as if he would start hyperventilating soon.

Sebastian placed a firm hand on the small shoulder, relaxing the tense muscle. "Calm down. I already took care of everything." A blue eye glared up with an expression on the young man's face that demanded an explanation and the VP obliged. "While you were resting under the warm embrace of the morphine, I took the liberty of contacting the local authorities and writing up a report of the incident. After they finished taking whatever evidence they deemed necessary from the crime scene, I set about cleaning the area up." Ciel opened his mouth to interrupt, but shut it again quickly when Sebastian help up his hand and shook his head. "Let me finish and then you can ask questions."

"I spoke to Ronald and informed him of what took place, but only to the extent of what was necessary to for him to know." The executive began to count off the items on his fingers. "He knows there was a fight and that you were injured and will be out of the office for a bit under my supervision while you recover." Ciel cocked a skeptical eyebrow, but continued to listen. "Don't worry; he's not going to tell anybody anything. I made it very worth his while financially to keep quiet about the entire situation."

"You did what?" The young man nearly choked on the words. "You bought his silence? How much did you pay him?" His tone incredulous as he tried to grasp the mafia-esque transaction that had taken place.

"That's not something you should be concerned about." Sebastian said flippantly, waving his hand. "It's my money so I will spend it how I see fit." The finality in the older man's voice making it obvious that there was no room for discussion.

Ciel eyed him with annoyance. "OK, so while you were out bribing my roommate, who was here watching over me to make sure I didn't suffocate in my sleep?" Sebastian chuckled at the childish tone that emanated from the younger male; it was good to see the same personality he had known and loved still shine through even though Ciel was bandaged up and restricted to bed rest.

The VP opened his mouth to respond when the sound of the front door opening and slamming loudly behind whoever had just entered the suite. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Sebastian mused to himself and both men turned to stare at the doorway of the bedroom. "We're in here." He called out and light footsteps grew louder as the person approached.

An iconic green Harrods's bag appeared in the line of sight; being shaken back and forth by a slim hand before a grinning Alois popped his head around the side of the door frame. He giggled as his tongue stuck out playfully at a stunned Ciel. Sebastian smirked as the blonde launched himself onto the large bed, shopping bag and all, wrapping his arms around his best friend.

"Did you miss me, Phantomhive?" He purred, snuggling his face into the crook of Ciel's neck. Surprise spread over his face and he hugged Alois back; blue eye gaping at the executive. He mouthed a thank you to Sebastian who just smiled and nodded, getting up from the bed and exiting the room to give the two friends some privacy.

Releasing his friend, Alois sat back Indian-style on the bed. "What the hell are you doing here?" Ciel asked, wincing slightly as he lay down; the blonde's forceful pouncing having jostled him and causing some discomfort.

"Sebastian brought me." He waved his hand nonchalantly in the air. "Said we needed to come here to because you couldn't take another day without being graced with my glorious presence." Ciel rolled his eye and the blonde giggled again. "And," he announced, reaching into the bag, "I come bearing gifts." Alois pulled out a fluffy item and shoved it in Ciel's hands.

He frowned at the present, examining it. "It's a bunny." Ciel stated blankly. The stuffed white rabbit was wearing a striped vest with a blue bow around its neck. "And it's scowling." He added, glancing up at his friend while waiting for an explanation behind the odd choice of gift. "Why did you get me a toy rabbit that looks angry?"

Alois grinned and grabbed the bunny, holding it up in front of Ciel's face. "Its name is Bitter Rabbit and he reminded me of you." His friend crossed his arms over his chest and waited expectantly for the blonde to continue. "He's all serious and mopey, just like you. And see," Alois informed in an exaggerated sad voice, a finger pointing at the toy's face, "it already has an eye patch so you two can match." Alois hopped the bunny around on the bed until his friend snatched it away.

"You're an idiot." Ciel grumbled, but hugged the soft animal close regardless, shoving his nose into the downy fabric and resting his face there. "But thank you. I know it's the thought that counts." Alois hummed happily and plopped himself next to his friend, propping his body on an elbow to gaze up.

"Sooooo, I hear you've got all sorts of fun drugs prescribed to take." Sky blue eyes twinkled with mischief. "Like oxycodone and morphine." He drawled out, leaning forward and whispering. "Want to share?" Alois winked as Ciel shot him an irritated look. It was just like the blonde to suggest using his pain medication for recreational purposes.

"Alois, what did I tell you about asking Ciel for his prescriptions?" Sebastian inquired firmly as he entered the room, fixing the cufflink on his dress shirt. The VP was fully dressed in an expensive suit and Ciel had almost forgotten how delicious the man looked in his work attire. Not shifting his attention from smoothing down his jacket. "He was given that medication to alleviate his pain. Not so you can get high and eat everything in the mini bar." Red eyes glanced up at the pair, Ciel blushing before averting his hungry gaze.

"Fine." The blonde huffed, pouting at the older male. "I won't ask Ciel for his medication." Flopping onto his back and making more himself comfortable. "Where are you going all dolled up, anyways?"

Sebastian flattened his tie against his dress shirt. "I'm going into the office." He replied simply. "I have some things I need to do and I will bring back some of your paperwork in the process." He quirked an eyebrow at Ciel and smirked when he noticed how the younger male was avoiding his eyes. "Alois, give Ciel two tablets of the oxycodone if he starts to feel uncomfortable." The executive instructed and the blonde saluted him in affirmation.

Striding over to the bed, Sebastian leaned down and cupped Ciel's cheek in his palm. "I'll be back soon." Red eyes soft as he whispered, placing a light kiss on the younger male's forehead. Ciel's shivered at the feel of the VP's lips on him and he almost whined in protest when the older male let him go. "Behave yourselves." He ordered as he walked out of the room.

As soon as the front door closed and the lock clicked into place, Alois was up and crawling over his friend to grab one of the plastic bottles from the nightstand. Ciel growled and shoved the blonde off his person, a flash of pain shooting through him from the act.

"Argh! That fucking hurt!" He complained, settling back into the pillows. "What are you doing? You just told Sebastian you weren't going to ask me for my medicine?" Ciel glared while his friend popped the cap off the container, humming as he titled it to pour four tablets out into his palm.

"I'm not asking. I'm taking them without your permission." Alois said matter-of-factly. Sitting back, he shoved two pills into Ciel's hand and lifted the rest to his mouth. "So technically, I'm doing as I am told." He smiled widely, winking as his friend rolled his eye again. "Bottoms up!" The blonde chanted before dry swallowing the capsules.

Ciel grumbled something about his logic being messed up before he followed suit, grabbing the cup of water on the nightstand and downing the medication with it. After the quick drink, the young male suddenly realized that he had to use the restroom; badly. Placing his hands on his bladder, Ciel bit his lower lip.

"Um, I have to pee." He said quietly, glancing up at his friend. Alois nodded and hopped out of the bed, pulling back the sheets. Ciel gave the blonde an odd look as he reached down to help him up. "Dude, what are you doing? I just have to use the bathroom!" He jerked his arm away, the soreness of his body making him cringe.

"Oh, please! You can hardly walk, let alone go to the bathroom by yourself." Alois rolled his eyes and hoisted his friend's arm over his shoulder, supporting most of Ciel's weight as he stood. A high pitched cry fell from the young man's mouth as a flash of pain tore through his lower half, his hand clutching tightly onto the blonde's shirt.

"Gah, oh God!" Ciel panted; a fine layer of sweat appearing on his forehead. A blue eye bulged as the burning sensation continued and he fought to keep breathing at a normal pace. "Fuck!" He cursed, letting his friend help him hobble towards the bathroom.

Once there, Alois loosened his hold so his friend could stand in front of the toilet. Ciel placed a palm flat on the wall behind the commode, his head hanging down, scalp damp with perspiration. He stared down at water filled porcelain bowl and wondered about what he was going to do next. The few feet from the bed to the restroom had completely drained the young man of most of his energy, even with the majority of the work having been done by Alois. How the hell was he going to have enough strength to stand here for the amount of time it would take for him to relieve himself?

A hand gently steadied Ciel's shaking frame by the hip, while the other placed itself solidly on his shoulder. "Just go." Alois whispered reassuringly from behind. "I won't look. I promise." Ciel nodded and grunted as he dug his free hand into the front of his boxers.

His face would have been bright red from humiliation if it hadn't already been so pale from the strain just standing there was having on him. A low satisfied groan left Ciel's lips as he felt the pressure leave his bladder; doing his best not to dwell on the fact that his best friend was standing right there, listening to every little sound he made. He sighed in contentment when he finished and Alois flushed the toilet before helping the young man back into bed.

Ciel's body collapsed on the soft mattress, feeling utterly exhausted from the simple activity. Alois pulled the blankets over his friend again before taking a place at his side in the bed; placing the stuffed rabbit between them while shoving a pillow under his head.

"Don't be embarrassed." The blonde smiled earnestly, receiving a skeptical look. "Just be happy it wasn't Sebastian helping you to the bathroom this time." Ciel's eye widened in horror at the statement and he sucked in a deep breath.

"Wait. Are you saying that Sebastian helped me, you know?" Alois nodded in affirmation and Ciel let out a load groan, a hand flying up to cover his face. Just the thought of the older male, his ex-lover, helping him use the bathroom was so mortifying. "How often?" He asked, not really knowing if he wanted to hear the answer.

"Well," the blonde contemplated, "he did it more often when you first came home. You couldn't walk at all for a day or two, on account of being drugged out to your mind." Ciel cringed at the mental image. "Sebastian had to physically carry you back and forth at the beginning. I only started helping yesterday when the morphine began to wear off." Alois enlightened, not looking bothered in the least about how his friend had been treated like an invalid for days now.

"Oh, God." Ciel groaned loudly. "Sebastian has been helping me pee. Jesus Christ, just kill me now!" He moaned, wishing now he had never asked for the details. Embarrassed didn't even begin to effectively cover how the young man felt at the moment.

"It's not as bad as you think." Alois soothed, curling his arms around the slender waist as best he could and yawning. "Sebastian's been really worried about you." Laying his head down on the side of Ciel's chest. "He just wants to see . . ." A soft snoring noise fell from the blonde's mouth, the narcotic from earlier lulling him to sleep.

Ciel watched as his friend slept peacefully, the fair hair falling over his forehead as he snuggled closer to his friend. He shook his head from side to side, the grogginess of the oxycodone beginning to seep into his mind. It was probably best if he slept, at least when he slumbered under the heavy haze of the medicine he didn't hurt. However, the best thing of being drugged into unconsciousness was that Ciel didn't dream. The frightening images from a few days ago were kept at bay and the young man could be at peace with that blissful ignorance of not having to remember for only a little while.

Sighing, Ciel closed his eye and pulled Alois into him just a little more. Until the drugs wore off he would find a safe haven from this reality; in that darkness, he would have his temporary escape.

* * *

It was like any other day at the London office. People scurried about the corporate space in an anxious manner as they tried to finish up projects before a deadline or put the final touches on a set of documents that needed to be delivered by the end of the business day. Everyone was so focused on getting their job done that nobody paid the New York VP any attention when he stepped off the elevator that afternoon and that's exactly how Sebastian wanted it.

The executive had two goals to accomplish; the first was to find Ronald Knox. The young man had left the VP a voicemail stating that he had something of Ciel's that he might want and the other was to have a long awaited conversation with Claude Faustus.

Sebastian had several reasons for wanting to have a polite chat with the London VP, not the least of them concerning a certain Client Development Manager who was currently laid up in his hotel room. No, the executive had a gut feeling that Claude had been involved in the attack on Ciel in some shape or form. However, he had no proof at the moment, just a gnawing in his being that told him to take a closer look at his colleague.

Turning the corner, the executive discreetly slipped into the Marketing Department; praying silently that Grell would not be around at the moment. Because if the overly-effeminate male director were to spot Sebastian now, then there was no hope of him staying under the radar until he found Claude and the VP needed all the anonymity he could get right now. Someone in the Heaven's must have been listening, for as the crimson eyes swept over the brightly lit room, all they could find was a mop of blonde hair bent over a design on the table working intently.

"Ronald." Sebastian said softly, as he approached the assistant. The young man's head snapped up and smiled when he saw the VP coming his way. Holding out his hand, the younger male shook the executive's with enthusiasm.

"Hey, Mr. Michaelis. I was wondering when you were gonna be dropping by today." The older male released his grip and returned the gesture. He had always liked Ronald and regretted the fact that he had never taken the time to really get to know the energetic assistant. It was sad that only now, under such circumstances, they would form some kind of odd friendship. "How's Ciel doing?" The blonde asked lowly, green eyes darting around to make sure no one was in earshot.

"He's still a bit worse for wear, I'm afraid. But with enough time and rest he should be just fine." Sebastian answered in the same hushed tone. Ronald nodded, knowing that he wasn't going to get any more information than that from the executive. It was strange to him, why this man was taking care of his roommate while he recuperated, but in the end, the assistant had decided the only important thing was that Ciel was in good hands.

Grabbing a folder from a nearby shelf, the blonde held it out to the VP. "Here you go." He explained while Sebastian flipped through the contents, eyeing the sheets with yellow highlights on them. "I found those all on the kitchen table after you left Sunday. I don't know what they're for, but Ciel must have been doing something with them before . . ." Ronald's voice faded out as he couldn't find the words he needed to define what had happened in his apartment only a few days earlier.

Sebastian nodded as he took the papers from their sheath, folding them neatly into his suit pocket. "He's very lucky to have a friend like you who cares enough to help him out during such a difficult time. Thank you, Ronald." He offered, leaning forward a bit so he could look the assistant directly in the eyes. "For everything." The executive whispered, crimson spheres serious with appreciation.

"Don't mention it." Ronald grinned. "I like Ciel, he's a fun bloke. It sucks that he was the one home that day when whatever low-life decided drop by and rough him up." Blonde head tilting to the side, he asked. "So, the police have any idea who did it?" Sebastian shook his head in response.

"No, they still need to talk to Ciel. Hopefully he will be able to give them more information than the crime scene did." The mention of catching the culprit brought the VP to his next order of business. "Have you seen Faustus today?" His colleague's last name spoken with immense disdain.

Ronald thought for a moment and hummed. "Yeah, he stopped by here a little while ago. Asking about where Ciel was these past couple of days." Red eyes narrowed at the information and the young man continued. "I told him Ciel wasn't home when I got back, but had left a meassage about having some kind of family emergency and had flown back to the Americas to take care of it." Winking at the executive. "Figured that excuse would buy him enough time till he was up on his feet again."

Sebastian paused for a minute, finding it odd how Claude would ask Ronald about Ciel's whereabouts. Especially since the London VP was supposedly to be sleeping with the young man, at least that's what he had been told by his colleague. An action that now only reinforced the executive's suspicions about the relationship being fictitious.

"Is he in the office now?" The VP asked slowly, already calculating the next response to however Ronald might answer the inquiry.

"Nope." He said, shaking his head in a negative manner. "Left about an hour ago, something about having to see the surgeon to get the stitches taken out." The young man shrugged and Sebastian's brow shot up in surprise at the comment.

"What stitches?" The VP asked, confusion marring his handsome face. "What happened to him?"

"I asked Mr. Faustus about his hand." Ronald recalled, pursing his mouth in thought. "It was all wrapped up when he came in Monday and he told me that his neighbor's dog bit him." Sebastian narrowed his eyes again. "Must have been a sizable bitch too. Looked like the thing almost ripped off his thumb." The VP nodded, his expression darkening with each new detail the young man provided him.

It was too much of a coincidence, in the executive's opinion, that the London VP would have such a severe laceration on his body now. It wasn't enough evidence to pin the attack on Claude, but that coupled with the recent farce of a story he had told Sebastian about Ciel, and things were starting to fall into place. All he needed now was some sort of confirmation that Claude had been one of the deviants involved in violating the young man and that information could only come from Ciel himself.

Sebastian let out a long breath, trying to calm his infuriated mindset. "Really, thank you, Ronald." He offered again, smiling slightly. "You have no idea how much help you've been with all this."

The blonde smiled widely at the acknowledgement. "It's nothing, Mr. Michaelis. I would have kept quiet even if you hadn't of just paid off all my school loans." The executive chuckled at the remark and thanked him a third time before making his way out into the hallway.

Out in the street, Sebastian breathed out a long sigh, his mind filing through all the information he had just learned. He just knew, with every fiber of his being that Claude had been involved in all this somehow. Whether the sneaky man had hired someone or had taken part in the defilement himself, the executive wasn't sure, but he was going to find out one way or another. The time for sitting patiently on the sidelines was over and the VP was ready to take action.

Reaching into his pocket, he fished out his blackberry. Long fingers scrolled through the screen until they landed onto a recent contact; pressing it, Sebastian held the device up to his ear as the call rang. "Yes, hello." The VP greeted sternly. "I need to speak with Detective Fred Aberline, please. Tell him the victim is ready to talk."


	25. Chapter 25

The door banged harshly as Sebastian kicked it closed with his shoe, frowning when he realized just how loud the sound had been as it echoed throughout the quiet hotel suite. Making his way over to a small table, the executive placed the bag of a few grocery items down before depositing his coat on a nearby chair.

Their accommodations offered a small refrigerator and microwave by the wet bar and he had filled it with fresh fruit and some other pantry items. Sebastian would have liked to prepare something more substantial than canned soups and frozen meals for the three of them, but this would have to suffice for the time being. Ordering in was the next best thing and it seemed that it would be happening again this evening.

On his way to the living room, the VP stopped by Ciel's bedroom and peered into the darkened space while he loosened his tie. What he saw instantly made his heart melt and a warm smile spread over his tired face.

Surrounded by numerous fluffy pillows lay Ciel, his bangs spilling over the right side of his face and covering his bandage. His breathing was even and soft, a sure sign that he was having a restful sleep while an arm draped over Alois's shoulder, the blonde's head resting on his friend's chest.

The young man mumbled something quietly before pulling himself closer to Ciel, arms wrapped around the small waist as he snored very lightly in his comfortable position. A stuffed rabbit was secured to Ciel's other side not occupied by his friend; the soft animal squished against his body.

Sebastian sighed and turned to let the pair continue sleeping. Much to his chagrin, the executive was glad Alois and come with him to London. At first it had seemed like having the animated blonde around was going to be more than the older man could handle, but in the light of all that happened, Alois's presence had been nothing short of a God sent. Although, the older male would rather die than ever tell anyone that.

Sitting on the large couch, he dug in his suit pocket and took out the folded paperwork that Ronald have given him earlier, depositing it next to his laptop on the coffee table. There would be plenty of time to look over it later, for now however, Sebastian had more important things on his mind; one of them being sleep.

It was exhausting taking care of two young men, one of which was confined to bed while the other should just be confined to something. The executive felt like a mother cat who was always chasing around after her kittens, picking them up in her mouth and carrying them back by the scruff of their necks to where they were supposed to be.

Sebastian had graciously given Alois the second bedroom in the suite, opting instead to sleep on the couch. He hadn't wanted to give the blonde any ideas about their new friendship which is why the VP had declined the offer when Alois had innocently suggested they share a bed. The executive wasn't able to tell if the idea had been voiced with an ulterior motive or just plain naivety, but he wanted to put a stop to any confusion right then and there.

After all was said and done, he ended up sleeping on the couch and it had actually worked out to his advantage. Sebastian was close enough to Ciel's room to hear everything that went on while the young male tossed and turned in his sleep under the powerful side effects of the morphine. This was especially convenient when in the middle of the night a weak voice would call out the executive's name in a drug induced panic.

Sebastian would awaken to garbled versions of his name coming from Ciel's bedroom, progressively getting louder with each utterance. Groggily, but quickly, he would make his way into the darkened space to make out the shivering whining mass that was the young man underneath the thick covers. Red eyes stared with worry as they watched Ciel mumble incoherent words and disjointed sentences, breathing erratic and face glistening with perspiration.

Perching on the edge of the bed, long fingers would reach out to grasp a small trembling hand as soft soothing sounds fell from the older male's lips. Miraculously, the minute Sebastian squeezed Ciel's hand in his own the young man would begin to calm down, the anxiety seeming to leave his body almost immediately. It was like all Ciel wanted was an anchor; something physical to hold on to so he wouldn't be sucked away by whatever horrible images that now haunted his mind every night.

Sighing, Sebastian lowered his weary body onto the sofa, hands running over his face. He had considered just sleeping in the same bed with Ciel, the thought being that his close physical proximity might help put an end to the nightmares. However, since the executive had no clue where the pair stood at the moment in their relationship, he couldn't just crawl into the younger male's bed without his permission. It wasn't as if Ciel had forgiven him for past grievances or if much had changed between them since they had gone their separate ways a few weeks ago. Everything was still in limbo and it would remain there most likely until there was time to discuss it.

Groaning in frustration, the executive peeled off his jacket and dress shirt, dropping them carelessly to the floor as he toed his shoes off. Lying down, Sebastian placed an arm behind his head and closed his eyes, hoping that when he awoke it would be morning and Ciel would be feeling better. Enough at least to get the ball rolling on the police investigation so they would catch whoever had done this atrocious crime and give them all some peace of mind.

Fingers curled into the downy covers and a deep blue eye opened lazily to blink away a full night's sleep. Ciel stretched and yawned as he rolled onto his back, wincing as his body was still sore and achy from the abusive encounter he had endured. He felt around the bed, one hand grabbing ahold of the stuffed bunny while the other only felt more space. Frowning, the young man sat up as he distinctly remembered having fallen asleep with Alois last night, but now his friend was nowhere to be seen.

"Good morning." A low voice greeted him from the doorway and Ciel looked up to see Sebastian leaning against the frame. The VP smiled, a cup of coffee in one hand while the other sat on the hip of the gray sweat pants he wore. "I trust you slept well." He stated as he made his way over to the bed. "I would have woken you, but you two looked so peaceful when I came home that I just couldn't do it." A small smirk played on his lips and Ciel blushed slightly at the teasing.

"Where's Alois?" He asked, determined to change the subject from his sleeping habits. The young man adjusted the blankets around him, doing his best to avoid the executive's playful red eyes.

"I sent him out to get something to eat. That kid is always hungry for some reason." Sebastian answered, mumbling the last part to himself. "Are you hungry?" He inquired softly, brows furrowing with some concern.

Ciel hadn't noticed until the moment that food was mentioned, but he was slightly nausea; hungry, yes, but still sick to his stomach. "Mmmm, I am, but I don't think I can eat right now." He said thoughtfully, wrapping his arms around his queasy tummy. Nibbling on his lower lip and looking up, "Maybe later?"

Sebastian nodded and put his coffee cup down on the nightstand. "Well, then," he started cheerfully, "if that's the case then we should probably give you a bath before you eat." He bent down to swiftly pull the blankets from Ciel's body, flinging the covers to the side and leaving the young man's bare legs exposed to the chilly air.

"Hey!" Ciel argued, making an attempt to grab the warm bedding back to him. "What are you doing? I'm not ready to get up yet!" He scowled before the rest of the executive's statement registered. "Wait. Give me a bath? As in you giving me a bath?" Sebastian smiled in affirmation and the young man's mouth popped open in protest.

"It wouldn't be the first time I washed you, Ciel." The VP reasoned, giving him a knowing look. The young man pouted, turning his head away in defiance. Sebastian chuckled at the childish behavior and leaned over to place one arm under the small knees and another behind the slim back.

Ciel let out a small yelp, followed by a low whine as he was hoisted up to Sebastian's chest. He clutched a frail hand into the fabric of the older man's t-shirt, letting the comforting scent wash over him as he was carried bridal style into the bathroom.

"Good lord, you are heavy." The VP teased, earning him a glare and light smack on his shoulder. "What have you been living off of here in London, fish and chips?" Truthfully, he was alarmed at just how much weight the young man must have lost over the past few days and the joke was an attempt to cover up his apprehension.

Stopping in front of the toilet, Sebastian gently placed Ciel on his own two feet, holding him by the hips until he was sure the younger male could stand alone. A nervous blue eye glanced back over its shoulder and Ciel placed a hand on the wall to steady himself. He did feel stronger than the last time he had ventured to the restroom with Alois, but then again, he hadn't been carried there.

"If you think you can manage, I will be over by the tub." Sebastian said softly, receiving a small nod in response. Carefully he removed his grip and took a step back, watching to see if Ciel's stance would hold. Only when he saw that the young man was solid did the VP turn around and make his way towards the bathtub.

Sebastian knew that Ciel was mortified by the fact that he couldn't even use the toilet without assistance, probably more so with him than with Alois. By leaving him alone to do his business, the VP hoped to let the young man regain some of his pride and maybe give him a little sense of accomplishment.

Kneeling by the running faucet, the executive looked over his shoulder at the sound of the commode flushing to see Ciel hobbling his way towards him. The young man held onto the wall, face serious with concentration and pain as he took the few steps required to the large marble bathtub; sitting down gently on the edge and sighing in relief when the journey was over.

Turning off the water after making sure the temperature was where he wanted it, Sebastian stood and stepped over to Ciel; the young man looking up with a wary eye. He knew the older male wasn't going to hurt him; on the contrary, there was probably no one else who would handle Ciel with more care and tenderness. However, he felt his body tense as the VP reached down to pull the cotton shirt over the young man's head.

"Ciel." Sebastian said calmly, observing the way the small hands were clenching the fabric of his boxer shorts. "It's all right. I'm just going to undress you and then let you slip into the water." The VP dropped to one knee so he could be eye level with the nervous young man, hoping that this position would make him feel less intimidated. "We are just going to get you cleaned up." The slate colored head gave a shaky nod and Ciel held his breath as the shirt was slowly peeled off his body.

Sebastian's eyes widened at the sight of Ciel's bare form for the first time in weeks, but more importantly, after the attack. The young man had always been slender, but firm with slight muscle definition where it should be; however, what sat before the executive now was a thin, sickly shadow of its former self.

Blue and purplish bruises littered the delicate shoulders while the left side of the slim torso was completely indigo; a definite sign of the bruised ribs. Finger shaped contusions were apparent across Ciel's throat; starting to turn a pale yellow around the edges as they had only started to heal just now.

Ciel crossed his arms protectively around his body and shivered, not only from the cold, but also from the executive's intense scrutiny over his naked form. The older male clamped his mouth shut and grit his teeth together in order to keep any of the gasps of shock or expletives of hate from spilling out and upsetting the younger male. Instead he glanced into the worried blue eye and gave a small smile, slowly reaching up to remove the gauze covering the wounded area.

Sebastian's fingertips brushed lightly over the swell of Ciel's cheek and his heart almost stopped when the young man flinched from the simple touch. "I have to remove the bandage." The executive explained slowly. "We need to clean it and let the wound air out." Ciel blinked a few times and gave a quick nod, bracing himself for what was to come next.

Slowly the white sterile cloth was removed, Sebastian taking the utmost care to not touch the young man's face any more than necessary. Sitting back, the older male placed the soiled dressings on the floor before he took in the damage done to Ciel's eye. The young man felt his spirits plummet as he watched the executive's expression fall.

"Oh, baby. I'm so sorry." Sebastian whispered, his voice thick with sadness. Ciel's lower lip trembled as he tried to will away the stubborn tears that were beginning to burn in his one good eye.

The right side of the young man's face was a swollen mess of deep blue and heavy violets that began at his cheek bone and ended right above his eyebrow. There were a few cuts; some deeper than others, however the most noticeable and jarring thing was the closed right eye; it was almost unrecognizable.

The lids were fused shut; eyelashes having been matted down by the thick bandage which was covering them. It was the same color pattern as the distorted brow and cheek, only darker and puffier. Still, even more disturbing was how the eye did not open; it remained closed, not even a flutter of a blink even though Ciel's other eye continued to function normally.

The executive took a deep breath, trying to compose his features quickly as possible as to not upset the young man even more. Forcing a brave smile, Sebastian gently placed his hand on top of Ciel's clenched fist and rubbed the white knuckles reassuringly. A wet blue orb met the comforting crimson ones, speaking more volumes of suffering through that simple gaze than words ever could convey.

"Let's get you out of these boxers and into the tub." Sebastian suggested softly, his other hand reaching up to tug on the elastic waistband. He gasped in surprise when the young man's fingers gripped the large wrist forcefully, halting the older male's actions instantly.

"No." Ciel hissed resolutely. "I'll do it myself. Turn around." The eye now dark with heavy emotion, glared at the stupefied executive. However, Sebastian complied with the command and got to his feet, turning his back to the angry young man.

He couldn't even begin to count how many times he had seen Ciel nude and he was completely perplexed with the request just given to him. Was it because Ciel was ashamed of his body and didn't want Sebastian seeing any more of the bruises? Or was it because they were no longer a couple and therefore it was inappropriate for the older male to see him undressed? Whatever the reasoning behind it, the order did not sit well with the executive and as he listened to the struggling sounds of Ciel trying to remove his last article of clothing, Sebastian decided that he was going to find out.

Dropping the boxers to the floor, Ciel scooted his body along the marble surface to the edge of the tub, lowering his feet in first. He was doing fine alone until it came to the point where the young man had to ease the rest of his body into the warm water. Weakened arms shook under his weight at either side of him as he tried to not let his frail form crash into the hard bottom below. A low whine left his lips and he yelped when a pair of strong hands immediately took hold under his straining limbs, lowering him gently into the fragrant liquid.

An annoyed glare was shot at Sebastian for intervening, but the man ignored it and kneeled again on the floor next to the bathtub; humming lightly as he soaped up a washcloth. Resigning himself to being bathed like a child, Ciel sighed and closed his eye, enjoying the way the fluffy wet cloth felt being scrubbed over his arms and shoulders. The cleansing liquid was a mixture of vanilla and mint, the combination soothing on the young man's frazzled nerves.

When Sebastian's hand dipped below the surface of the water and just past the small navel, Ciel's body seized up. The VP watched as the blue eye flew wide with fear and heard the sharp intake of breath, terror taking hold of the young man's body from the closeness of the older man's hand to his lower half. Dropping the cloth and swiftly pulling his hand out of the basin, Ciel's calmness slowly returned; the apparent threat gone now.

"Maybe you should wash yourself now." The executive suggested, shaking his head as Ciel picked up the cloth to continue where Sebastian had left off.

Sighing, he poured some water over the crown of the young man's head in preparation to wash his hair. It was frustrating to say the least that every little move the executive made seemed to evoke a defensive reaction from Ciel. It was as if the young man's entire being was on high alert for any sign of a potential threat to him and it bothered the older male greatly that his former lover would see him as such.

Lathering up some shampoo between his palms, Sebastian began to peel away at the layers of the damaged psyche. "So, what's this all about not wanting me to see you naked, hmmm?" He hummed while Ciel ignored the question. "I've seen your body in the nude plenty of times before. What makes now any different?" He watched as the cloth stopped moving and Ciel slumped his shoulders a bit.

"It's just different now." He answered quietly. "I can't say how, but nothing is the same as it used to be." Ciel resumed bathing himself as Sebastian scrubbed his scalp thoroughly. A small moan of enjoyment fell from the young man's lips and the older male smiled at the response to his ministrations.

Rinsing the soapy mixture from the now clean slate locks, Sebastian stood up and turned to grab a bath towel. Ciel watched as the fleecy object was held out for him and very carefully, the young man made his way into an upright position before wrapping it around his dripping body. His eye followed the executive's face, noticing how the crimson spheres were avoiding him at the moment, trying to respect the privacy the young man had insisted upon earlier.

"Why don't you go lie down and I will make you something to eat." Sebastian suggested as he moved about the room to pick up the dirty bandages and clothing from the floor. "Can you make it back to the bedroom on your own?" He looked up, an eyebrow arching at the question. Ciel nodded and pulled the warm covering closer to him before padding slowly out of the bathroom.

He did his best not to look in the mirrors, knowing that if Sebastian's reaction to his face earlier was any indication of how bad he looked then he really didn't want to see it. It had hurt Ciel deeply when he watched the older male's face pale in horror at the sight of his disfigured form and the young man had to fight now to control his breathing to keep from hyperventilating.

Tears threatened to fall, but he bit hard into his lower lip in hopes that the pain would distract him enough to keep them at bay. Sebastian had always found Ciel beautiful, but if the executive couldn't even look at him without recoiling then what hopes were there of someone else ever loving him again?

With a low huff, Ciel flopped himself on the mattress and rolled onto his back, not caring that his wet hair was soaking the pillows on which he rested his head. He was depressed, feeling useless and worthless, wanting nothing more than to take another oxycodone so he could drift off to sleep. The sound of glassware clinking against a plate caught the young man's attention and he looked up to see Sebastian return with a bowl of something in his hands.

The older male smiled as he placed the dish on the nightstand and Ciel scowled when he saw it was soup. He didn't want soup, he wanted real food, something he could sink his teeth into and it dawned on the young man that he couldn't remember the last time he had eaten a decent meal. Sebastian observed the disapproving expression on Ciel's face and chuckled.

"What? It's not to your liking?" He asked and Ciel shot him an irritated look. "It's chicken broth. It's good for you and you're not allowed to have anything solid until tomorrow." Another deadly glare had the executive sighing.

"Could you make it sound any less appetizing?" Ciel asked sarcastically, staring at the offensive meal. Sebastian smirked, feeling the need to lighten the young man's sour mood.

"I do apologize, my lord." The VP stated, bowing at the waist, a hand placed over his heart. "Today we have a delicious chicken herbes de Provence that has been slow roasted to the point where it has fallen off the bone. The delicate meat has been married with a lovely bouillon base to produce the flavorful consommé you see before you now." Red eyes glanced up to see Ciel fight back a small smile; a response that made the ridiculous performance worth every embarrassing minute of it.

Resuming a standing position, Sebastian leaned over and handed the bowl and spoon to Ciel. The young man accepted them and mumbled a quiet thank you as he lifted the broth to his lips. Sipping it slowly at first before abandoning the utensil altogether to drink the hot liquid directly from its container. Ciel hadn't realized it before, but he was starving and when the last of the soup had been finished, he whined in disappointment.

"Do you want some more?" The executive asked, walking over with some clothing he had acquired from the dresser. It was a long sleeve black shirt, under garments and dark blue jeans. Ciel stared at the familiar items and suddenly remembered that they were some of the pieces of clothing he had left at Sebastian's condo when they had still been together. The young man nodded and the VP placed the clothing on the bed. "Alright, I'll get you some more." He affirmed, grabbing the bowl. "Get dressed and then I'll dry your hair before you eat again."

Ciel watched as the older male left the room and then started the difficult task of dressing himself. He was still sore, but certain areas of his body were more tender to the touch than others. His left side with the bruised ribs was especially painful if the young man breathed too deeply or turned the wrong way too quickly. Therefore, it seemed to take Ciel forever to put on an outfit that normally would have taken him minutes only a week ago.

The last sock was pulled on just as Sebastian walked back through the door carrying more soup, plus a towel and a comb. Ciel settled back against the propped up pillows again, his breathing heavy from the exertion of dressing himself. He watched as the food was set down where it was previously before the towel enveloped his head, quickly mussing the drenched locks about and pulling the dampness from them.

"Ow! Stop!" Ciel complained at his head being shook about. Sebastian released his hold and steadied the younger male's chin with one hand while the other combed the tangles that had accumulated away.

"You need to look presentable, Ciel." He explained, getting in one final sweep with the comb before being swatted away by annoyed hands. A blue eye glared up for a multitude of reasons. "Sorry."

"What are you talking about?" Ciel snapped, pouting as he settled down onto the mattress. "Where the hell would we be going? I can barely walk!" The brutal fact of the young man's incapacitation yelled at the older male, who stood by raising an eyebrow at the outburst.

Deep down, in the back of the young man's mind, he knew his anger was misplaced on the executive. Sebastian had done nothing, but be there for him day and night since the assault. He had carried him from the apartment, broken and bleeding, stayed with him at the hospital, and had watched over him almost every minute since they came to the hotel. No other person could have shown Ciel more patience and concern, and yet, all he could do was snap at the man. The violent emotions boiled over out of his control every single chance they got and they focused solely on his unfortunate caretaker.

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Sebastian gently took the young man's hand in his. "We are not going anywhere. Someone is coming here." He corrected, red eyes cautious. "A man by the name of Fred Aberline from the London police will be here shortly to ask you a few questions." Understanding bloomed across Ciel's face and he opened his mouth to protest. "Now, he needs to find out what happened in the apartment." The executive cut in, his tone serious. "And you are the only one who can give him an accurate account of what occurred and who was there. So, please," he begged, "talk to him and tell him everything you know so the authorities can do their job."

Ciel sat still, taking in Sebastian's hopeful expression, replaying the imploring words in his mind. He didn't want to talk about the incident; with anyone. He just wanted his body to heal, scars and bruises to fade, damaged eye to get better and then go back to his life. Yet, looking at the one person who had been by his side throughout everything that had happened Ciel couldn't help, but acquiesce to the request and nodded his head in agreement.

Sebastian's face relaxed at having avoided the stress of another argument and he resisted the urge to reach out and cup Ciel's cheek in his palm. The executive wanted nothing more than to hold him securely in his arms and kiss away the pain and anger that raged through the small body. However, after seeing how the young man had reacted this morning to the older male's touch, the VP ignored his desires.

Taking a deep breath, "So, when will he be here?" Ciel asked quietly, averting his eye.

Sebastian opened his mouth to respond when a series of knocks at the suite door interrupted whatever he had been preparing to say. Looking over his shoulder and out of the bedroom, "Now, it seems."

* * *

Alois hummed lightly as he skipped his way down a small street in the heart of London. Blonde hair flopped over his forehead as large icy blue eyes wandered around the city's shops and small businesses, taking in the sights of being in a foreign country.

Sebastian had sent the young man out to get something to eat; however, he had a sneaky suspicion that it was all a ruse so the executive could spend some time alone with Ciel. Nevertheless, Alois took the hint and left the suite before his friend had awoken; off to investigate this strange land called England.

His first stop was coincidentally a pub, the mention of breakfast still fresh on his mind. The blonde had plopped himself at the bar and purused the menu until he found something that appealed to him. Alois giggled as he told the bartender his order, his behavior garnering an odd look from the staff. When the food was finally set in front of him, Alois took a large forkful of savory sausage and mashed potatoes, munching happily on the food as he tried to decide where to go next.

After paying for his meal of bangers and mash, the blonde ventured back outside and proceeded to make his way through the crowded streets of London. He stopped at the occasional window, peering in, his nose pressed up against the glass and leaving smudge marks behind. It wasn't until he spotted a small bakery that he decided to stop and actually buy something.

A small bell rang over the door as Alois entered, his eyes sweeping over the array of colorful tarts and cookies on display in a large case near the front of the store. He wanted to get something for Ciel; knowing that his friend had a raging sweet tooth, he hoped a sweet munchie might help lift his spirits a bit. The blonde bent down to eye the pastel hued macaroons, face scrunching up with indecisiveness.

"If you can't figure out which one you want, you should just get one of each." A cheerful voice piped next to him and Alois turned his head to the side to see who was addressing him. The young man next to the blonde grinned widely as he leaned against the glass case.

"It's not that. I just don't know what's good." Alois explained, eyeing the messy auburn hair and large brown eyes that sparkled with excitement. "But they're not for me. They're for a friend of mine." He continued in more detail

The clerk nodded and winked. "Ahh, so you're girlfriend." The blonde stuck his tongue out at the suggestion and he tried again. "Oh, OK. So your boyfriend then." Alois grimaced at the idea of Ciel being his boyfriend and the boy laughed at the face, the sound light and full of happiness.

Alois furrowed his brow at the kid; he couldn't have been a day over 17, if he was even that old. He was cute though; about half a head shorter than the blonde with a smattering of light freckles over his smiling face. However, there was one thing that was apparent; he knew a whole lot more about the pastries than Alois did.

"No, it's just my friend." He mentioned again. "See, he's sick and I wanted to get him something sweet to help cheer him up. Do you know what's good here?" The clerk's face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Sure do!" He exclaimed making his way behind the counter. "My aunt makes the best lemon tart in all of London." He stated proudly as he reached into the case to pull out a yellow custard in a small pie shell. "I'm telling you, it's so good it will brighten up anybody's day!" Smirking as he showed the delicacy to Alois; who agreed that it looked very tasty.

"So your aunt owns this place? But you don't have an accent." The blonde blurted out rudely, the redhead not seeming to notice the impoliteness in the least.

"Yeah, I graduated a semester early, so my parents decided I should come here to help out. I head back to the States at the end of the summer." He clarified while Alois pointed to some chocolaty looking things that would be added to the order. "I start college in the fall at NYU." The blonde's ears perked up at the information

"Really? I live in New York, you know." Alois informed, the clerk's brown eyes lighting up with interest. "We could hang out sometime if you want." He invited innocently, no hidden meaning to the statement.

"That would be awesome. Thanks!" He exclaimed as he wrapped up the sweets into a box and tied it with baker's string. "Give me your number and I'll call you." The blonde grabbed a piece of scratch paper and jotted his cell number onto it; taking the clerk's contact information as well before sliding some money across the counter. "This is so awesome! I'm not from there and I don't know anybody in New York." He gushed. "What's your name anyways?"

"Alois Trancy." He said proudly, taking his parcel and walking towards the front door. "I'll see you in NYC. Definitely hit me up some time and thanks for the help with the cookies." He called over his shoulder; waving goodbye as he walked out.

Alois mused over his the meeting of his new friend who was charming and possibly also into guys. He hummed to himself as he thought about what it would be like seeing him in a few months in New York; glancing at the piece to paper with the ten digits scribbled onto it. While reading the note the blonde realized that he hadn't even bothered to ask the clerk's name.

Spinning on his heel, he hurried back to the shop and stuck his head through the door, the bell ringing overhead for the second time that day. The young man behind the counter looked up and smiled. "Hey, did you forget something?"

"Your name." Alois confirmed, a sheepish look spreading over his face. "I totally didn't get your name. Sorry." He apologized, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his stupidity for not asking sooner.

"Not a problem." The clerked stated, grinning. "And my name is Luka; Luka Markin."


	26. Chapter 26

Ciel grumbled in annoyance as he smoothed down the duvet around his body which he was currently sitting on. His sour attitude was due to the fact that any moment now Sebastian was going to come waltzing back into the bedroom with some man named Fred Aberline. A detective who was working on Ciel's case and the young man was going to have answer a bunch of questions about the attack that he would much rather not have to think about at the moment.

Sighing, he listened as the two men talked out in the living area of the suite; the sound of their footsteps growing louder as they made their way to the young man. A blue eye snapped up to see Sebastian enter the room first and Ciel just now noticed that the executive was still dressed in his sweatpants and T-shirt; something that was out of character for the usually coifed older male to be doing when they were expecting company. However, he had been busy bathing and feeding the young man all morning so when would he have time to do anything for himself; the thought making Ciel feel guilty for being such a burden.

"Ciel, this is Detective Aberline." Sebastian introduced the man who trailed in behind the VP. "Detective, this is Ciel Phantomhive." He gestured from the gentleman to the young man on the bed.

"Hello, Ciel." Aberline greeted, his smile warm and inviting. He didn't look like a detective to Ciel, for one thing, the man looked too young to hold that title and for another he seemed too gentle in disposition for that sort of work. Approaching the bed, "How are you feeling today?" He asked, blue eyes soft.

"I've been better." Ciel answered, glancing at Sebastian who now leaned himself against the doorframe and getting comfortable for what was sure to be a long conversation between the two. The executive gazed lovingly at the young male, reassurance and protectiveness emanating from his person as he listened closely to what was being said.

"Of course you have." Aberline agreed, pulling a small recorder from his pocket. "I'm going to ask you some questions and this," he shook the device in the air, "will tape your answers so that we can have an official statement from you. Is that OK?" Ciel nodded and the detective clicked a button, turning on a tiny red light. Placing it on the nightstand, "If you feel uncomfortable at any point and time, we can stop and take a break, understand?" The young man nodded again and the detective smiled kindly.

Pulling a chair over, he sat next to the bed, leaning back as to not make the victim feel cornered. It bothered Aberline; it really did, that such a violent act could happen to such a young man. He had been doing this job for several years now, however, it never ceased to amaze him how depraved some human beings could be or what they could do to one another. Staring now at the young man in front of him, he felt nothing, but the desire to catch the man who had hurt this individual and bring him to justice.

With that thought in mind, Aberline began his questioning. "Ciel, why don't you tell me what you were doing that morning before the event transpired." Ciel shot Sebastian another quick look and took a deep breath before turning his attention back to the detective.

"I got up late, grabbed a snack and some coffee and then proceeded to do some paperwork until the early afternoon." He started calmly in an even tone.

"So, you were home, then." Ciel nodded and the man continued. "Why weren't you at work that day? It was a weekday and there wasn't a holiday in which your office would have been closed."

"I wasn't feeling well, so I decided to work from home." He lied smoothly, not daring to look at Sebastian who might pick up on the fact he was being untruthful in his eye. "But I had some work to do regardless of my health. It passed shortly after I got up anyways."

Aberline hummed thoughtfully at the response. "Alright, what happened after that? Take your time, Ciel. We are in no rush here." He reminded, his tone palliative.

"There was a knock at the door. I had been so busy that I lost track of time." Ciel stated, glancing down to fidget with his fingers; thankful that Sebastian had combed his bangs over his face to hide his damaged eye. "I opened the door and he just came at me." He lied again, still not meeting the detective's gaze. "He knocked me into the hall table and I fell down and then he was on me. It all happened so fast." The young man whispered, voice thick in his throat.

"It's OK, Ciel." Aberline soothed. "Try to think back. Did you recognize him? The man who attacked you?" He reiterated softly.

"No." Another lie, shaking his head and nibbling on his lower lip. "I don't, I mean, I can't," Ciel stumbled over his own words. "No, I'd never see him before in my life." He finally stated, the fabrication slipping easily off his tongue.

"We can get back to that later." The detective said, moving on. "Can you tell me what happened next?"

Ciel cleared his throat. "He jumped on me, pressed me down. Choked me, hard, really hard. I couldn't breathe; he had his hand over my mouth." The memories spilling over his lips in disjointed statements. "I tried to scream, but I couldn't breathe. Then, but then, I bit him. I bit him hard. There was blood. In my mouth, he yelled at me and-"

"You say you bit him?" The detective cut in and Ciel nodded. "Where did you bite him?" Aberline leaned forward in his chair at the new information.

"Yeah, on the hand. Right here." He held up his hand and pointed to the space between his thumb and forefinger. "He yelled at me for biting him and that's when he grabbed it and hit me in the face." A low gasp from across the room had both the detective and the young man looking up at the sound.

Sebastian stood up straight in the doorway, his mouth ajar as his mind seemed to process something. A look realization took a hold of his expression as red eyes flicked over to Ciel, the young man gave the executive a stern look that had him setting lips in a grim line. He furrowed his brow and shook his head as he leaned against the door frame once again, arms crossed over his chest.

Turning back to Ciel, Aberline picked up where they left off. "It seems that the item you are describing was a crystal award of some sort; do you remember seeing something like that in the apartment before?" Ciel nodded. "Alright, do you mind showing me where he hit you with it?"

Ciel sucked in a quick breath before carefully reaching up to push the hair covering the right side of his face out of the way. He waited for the detective to react with repulsion to the disturbing injury; instead the man just smiled and sat back in his chair.

"Thank you, Ciel." He said, as the young man let the slate colored hair fall back in front of his face. "Please, continue with your story." Aberline motioned with his hand for him speak.

"Then he rolled me over and I tried to get away, I really did." Ciel adamantly defended himself. "But I couldn't. He was too strong. Everything hurt so bad. My face, the pain was unreal." He looked down again at his hands. "And then, he, he, pulled down my pants and he," Ciel sniffled, biting hard into his lip to keep from crying, "he was, he . . ."

Ciel stopped, shaky breaths racking his small form and Sebastian had to hold himself back from rushing over and enveloping the distraught young man in his arms. It was torture listening to what had been done to Ciel in such detail, but the VP knew that the young man needed him to be in the room. If not, then he might not have the courage to go through with his statement to the detective

Choking out a sob, "He was in me." Ciel shuddered at the memory. "It hurt. It hurt so much." His head snapped up suddenly, blue eye wet with angry tears. "He enjoyed it, did you know that? Kept telling me how tight I was and how fucking good I felt!" His entire body shook now, not from disgust, but from pure, unadulterated rage. "He fucked my body like it was his own personal plaything. He rammed into me over and over until he came, enjoying every second his fucking dick was inside me!" Ciel screamed, his voice cracking from the tension.

He dropped his head into his hands and sobbed heavily. "I can still feel him, you know." He mumbled into his palms. "In me. Fucking me. I can still hear him moaning and how it felt when he pushed into me. How bad it hurt." Ciel's voice faded, the words being drowned out by the violently shaking of his frame.

Sebastian couldn't take it anymore and he pushed himself out of the doorway, striding purposefully across the room. He crawled over the bed and gathered the crying young man into his arms; soothing sounds falling from his lips. Ciel clung to the older male as if his life depended on it, sobbing into the firm chest, his face buried deep into a strong shoulder as he coughed up choked cries and fresh tears streamed down his face. Sebastian cradled him into his body, a hand placed on the back of his neck, placing soft kisses into the slate colored hair.

The executive had been so wrapped up in his need to comfort Ciel that he had completely forgotten Aberline's presence in the room. Only now, did it dawn on the VP that they weren't alone and he turned his head to acknowledge the detective; not really caring if the man was a witness to the taboo affection he was giving to the younger male at the moment. However, the man only smiled politely and nodded in understanding.

Rising out of his chair, the detective walked over the nightstand and picked up the recorder. "I think we have enough for now." He informed quietly, clicking the device off. "We can finish this at a later date. Just call and let me know when you would like to meet again. I'll see myself out." Sebastian nodded and mouthed a simple 'thank you' before Aberline left the room and turned all his attention back to the shattered mass of a person in his arms.

Ciel gasped for air as his fingers raked into the older male's back. His chest constricted tightly, breathing becoming increasingly difficult as the room started to blur. Sebastian heard the rapid breaths and pushed the clinging form off himself, cupping the young man's tear drenched face between his palms and forcing him to look at the executive.

"Baby, you have to calm down." He ordered softly, red eyes focusing on the blue panicked one. "You're going to pass out if you don't get some air. Please. Everything is alright. I'm here; you're safe." He soothed, rubbing small circles with his thumbs into the damp cheeks.

Slowly, Ciel's breathing began to even out as he stared up into the VP's gentle expression. As the tears subsided and the heaving sobs turned into quiet whimpers the young man pulled himself close to the older man's chest again, placing his head back into the supportive shoulder and closing his eye wearily. The strong heartbeat thumped steadily beneath his ear and Ciel reveled in the warm protective feeling that seeped through him from being held so near to Sebastian's body.

So engrossed were the two in their private moment, that neither heard the front door open and shut nor the sound of small footsteps that grew louder the closer they got to the bedroom. At the last second, Sebastian's ears picked up a light tune being hummed by their visitor and he knew exactly who was standing at the doorway without having to look.

"I've got a surprise for you, Ciel!" Alois sang cheerfully as he skipped into the bedroom, pastry box in hand. "Leave it to me to get the tastiest tarts in all of . . ." The blonde's voice faded and his face instantly dropped as he took in the sight of a shivering Ciel huddled in the executive's arms on the bed. "Oh my God! What happened?" He cried as he ran towards the pair; box forgotten as it fell to the floor.

Alarmed light blue eyes looked up into tense red ones as the young man leaned over to get a better look at his friend. "Sebastian, what's wrong with him?" Alois reached out tentatively to touch Ciel's shoulder, but stopped in midair as the stressed young man recoiled from the gesture; clinging even tighter to the VP's form. "Ciel, it's me." He whispered, a confused look on his face.

"Alois." Sebastian said softly. "Give us a minute. Ciel will be fine; he's just had a stressful morning." The blonde gaped at the executive, not grasping the man's words; red eyes calm as they gazed down. "Please. Just go and put away whatever it is you brought for him. I'm sure he will want to have it later." He smiled as the younger male nodded, blue orbs eyes glancing back to his friend cautiously before picking up the box while exiting the room.

Ciel whimpered again and lessened his grip on the broad shoulders. The young man seemed to have calmed down quite a bit; however, Sebastian was a little confused why he had reacted so strangely to his best friend's advances just now. Needing some answers, the VP gently pulled Ciel from his body and set him back against the pillows.

Sighing, Sebastian started slowly. "Ciel, I need to ask you something and I need you to be honest with me. Can you do that?" The young man blinked his wide eye up at the older male, his expression one of complete innocence as he nodded slowly. "OK." He smiled softly. Taking both of Ciel's hands in his own, the VP stared straight at the young man. "Now tell me, why did you lie to the detective just now?"

What little color there was drained from Ciel's face as he sputtered, "I-I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to pull his hands back, but the executive tightened his grip lightly to keep them in place.

"I thought you were going to be honest with me." Sebastian argued calmly, his eyes never leaving Ciel's. "But if you are not going to tell me what I need to know then why don't you just let me guess and tell me if I'm right." The young man's brow furrowed at the suggestion, his mouth setting into a hard line of displeasure. The VP shook his head and sighed again, this was going to be much more difficult than he had originally thought.

"When the detective asked if you knew who had attacked you, you lied to him." He began, carefully watching as the young man's face remained emotionless at the accusation. "And he believed you. I believed you." Sebastian stated earnestly. "But then you said you bit the man on the hand; hard." There was still no reaction from the young man, so the VP continued. "So hard in fact that you said you made him bleed. A cut like that would require stitches, don't you think?" Ciel's expression shifted from blank to irritated.

"What is your point, Sebastian?" He asked, eye narrowing suspiciously. "Why would I care what happened to that fucker's hand afterwards?" The words spat quickly as if the young man couldn't get them off his tongue fast enough.

"It's interesting though." Sebastian mused. "See, when I went to the office the other day, I spoke to Ronald. He says hello by the way." The VP mentioned almost cheerfully, an action that had Ciel becoming even more wary of the conversation. "He also mentioned that Claude wasn't in the office because he was having stitches removed from his hand; saying that a dog had bitten him over the weekend." He noticed how the young man flinched at the mention of the London executive's name and Sebastian knew he had his answer.

The executive took a deep breath and deftly gripped the small chin between his fingers, forcing the young man to look at him. Eyes of liquid red gazed into worried blue as he spoke, "Ciel, did Claude do this to you?" Sebastian's heart beat rapidly in his chest as he scrutinized the emotions that played out in front of him on the young man's face. There was fear etched in the pale skin and the plump lower lip trembled as a result of the stress the inquiry brought; however, the most telling sign was the bright blue eye that now averted itself to look anywhere, but the older male.

Releasing a hard breath, Sebastian pulled Ciel close to him again; kissing the soft hair on his head as he held the young man securely in his arms once more. The VP felt the small form melt willingly into the familiar embrace and he couldn't help, but smile how right it felt to hold Ciel like this again.

With his chin placed on top of his head, the executive continued. "Why did you lie to the detective when you knew exactly who was responsible for this, Ciel?" He couldn't even begin to fathom why the young man had not told them this fact from the very beginning.

Still snuggly pressed into the warm firm chest. "Because it's what you would have done." Ciel whispered and Sebastian's jaw dropped in shock at the admission. The stunned VP pushed him back to look into the young man's eye.

"What are you talking about? What I would have done?" The executive breathed; his face in complete bewilderment over such a statement. "What on earth brought you to that assumption?"

Ciel blinked up at the older male a few times. "Because if I go after him and people find out how he violated me, my career will be over." He said simply, the VP still not understanding. The young man continued his with his explanation. "Nothing else matters except the possibility of moving forward professionally. You taught me that." The quiet voice snapped the executive from his daze and he gaped at the young man who sat composed in front of him.

The realization hit the older male like a ton of bricks; he was responsible for this screwed up logic that Ciel now spoke to him as if it were the gospel. His actions back in the States of choosing his career over the one person he loved had now translated over to the young man. Ciel now saw his own well-being, his own personal happiness, as nothing more than a hindrance to his profession. Sebastian groaned inwardly at the irony of it all. He had spent so much time hoping that the CEO wouldn't turn his lover into a cold hearted bastard that he had completely disregarded the possibility that his own deeds would have any sort of adverse effects on the young man whatsoever.

Licking his dry lips, Sebastian returned his eyes to Ciel's. "Baby, I was wrong about that." He started slowly. "I should have never put my career ahead of you." The young man looked surprised at the confession. "Because without you it's all, everything, it's worth absolutely nothing to me." He choked out, voice thick with emotion. "Please don't let my past mistakes influence your decisions about what is best for you." The executive begged, ruby eyes pleading.

Ciel swallowed hard as he listened to the words. In the back of his mind, he knew Sebastian was right and that he should come forward to make Claude pay for what he had done. However, there was another part of the young man that cringed at the idea of letting the whole world know what had happened and that was the one element in all this that he could control.

Placing a palm on the executive's cheek, Ciel met his gaze head on. "I understand what you're saying." He agreed. "But I don't want to press charges against Claude." Sebastian opened his mouth to protest, but the young man shook his head. "I want to move on and not live the rest of my life in the shadow of what he did to me." The young man's tone was resolute in his decision.

"You can't be serious." The VP gasped. "He has to be brought to justice for this." He tried to reason, but the young man only shook his head negatively.

"No." Ciel said in a firm voice. "This is what I want to do. I want to be the one who decides which people know the truth and how much." The executive pressed his lips into a tight line, not liking the decision one bit. "Promise me, Sebastian. I want to hear you say it." A blue eye waited patiently for the older male's response.

Sebastian let out a frustrated sigh; he didn't agree with this logic. Ciel was being irrational and impulsive for wanting to sweep the issue under the rug so quickly. Out of sight, out of mind; so to speak. Yet, here the young man was giving the executive another opportunity to show his loyalty and trustworthiness. So against his better judgment, the older male took a chance of possibly redeeming himself in Ciel's eyes.

"Alright, I promise I will not tell anyone that it was Claude who beat and raped you." He reluctantly stated. However, the distaste he felt for making the agreement rapidly dissolved when a small smile appeared on Ciel's lips and Sebastian had to fight the urge not to kiss the young man. They weren't there yet, but this was a small step in the right direction to get them back where they wanted to be; together.

"It was Claude?" A voice gasped weakly from the doorway. The pair turned at the sound to see Alois steadying himself with one hand on the frame. Pale blue eyes flicked back and forth between Sebastian and Ciel as he tried to make sense of what he had just overheard. "Claude raped you?" He whispered, gaze no longer focused on anything in particular as he started to hyperventilate.

"Alois." Sebastian said quietly, making a move to climb off the bed. The blonde's head snapped up as he saw the movement, eyes wild and frantic.

A shuddering groan fell from his lips as tears began to cloud his vision. Alois's world spun out of control as the conflicting thoughts flew through his mind. Turning swiftly on his heel, the young man ignored his name being shouted behind him as he ran out of the room.

* * *

Colliding with the mattress in the bedroom he had inhabited since they came to London, Alois proceeded to grab a pillow and shove his face into it. His small body curled into a fetal position has heavy sobs racked his slender frame. Fingers gripped desperately into the fluffy material as wave after wave of merciless emotions crashed down upon him.

Everything was coming at the young man at once, leaving him no time to process anything. Ciel, his best friend, had been brutally beaten and violently raped by the man he thought he might love. Alois's mind screamed at the statement, it just didn't seem real; it had to be a mistake, but Ciel wouldn't lie about something like that. Another round of fresh tears drenched the pillow and the blonde coughed uncontrollably as he tried to breathe.

A soft touch on his shoulder had Alois turning over in surprise, eyes locking onto a concerned Sebastian. The blonde sniffled and wiped his nose with his sleeve, the tears having subsided for the moment. The VP smiled softly at the young man before taking a seat next to him on the bed.

"What do you want?" Alois croaked, voice slightly hoarse now. Still clutching the pillow, he sat up to face the executive. "You come to yell at me how I shouldn't be crying over a rapist? That I'm a horrible person for not instantly hating the man who messed up my best friend?" He muttered, averting his eyes. "Well, don't waste your time. I feel guilty enough already."

Sebastian sighed and pulled the blonde's head into his lap, stroking the soft hair as blue eyes stared wide with shock at the comforting action. "Alois, you're not a bad person for not wanting to believe that Claude did this." The older male soothed, his gentle touches seeming to calm the young man a bit. "But you and I both know that Ciel wouldn't make it up either."

"I just," the blonde started softly, "I just can't, what makes a person do something like?" Alois swallowed hard and continued. "All the times I was with him, I never got the vibe that he could be the type. I mean sure, it was rough, but always fun." He blushed at a specific memory. "He never hurt me or anything."

"I couldn't even begin to tell you how that happens." The executive answered lowly, long fingers still running through the golden strands. "But there must have been some kind of motivation behind it. Some sort of power struggle, but Ciel hasn't mentioned anything." Alois pushed himself off the older male's lap to look him in the face.

"Well, he has to tell you!" Blue eyes wide and frightened. "Because we have to make Claude pay. The police will need to know everyth . . ." His voice faded when he saw the grim look on Sebastian's face. "We're not involving the police, are we?" Alois let out a loud huff as he flopped back onto the bed after seeing he had guessed correctly. "That's such a Ciel thing to do." He mumbled. "Not wanting to be a bother to anyone so he'd rather just ignore the issue."

"It's what he wants." The VP stated, disapproval radiating in his red eyes. "I can't say that I agree with him, but you know how Ciel gets once he makes a decision." The blonde nodded; his friend was the most stubborn person in the world and if Ciel didn't want to do something then that was it. The older male stood up, looking down at the sprawled out young man. "Do you want to lay down with Ciel for a while? I think he might be ready for some more pain medication and a nap."

Alois shook his head as he propped himself up on his elbows. "No thanks." He said firmly. "Besides, Ciel doesn't want me in there right now. He wants you." He cocked an eyebrow at the surprised look on the executive's face before rolling his eyes. "It's so obvious. Didn't you see the way he reacted when I tried to touch him earlier? How he clung to you like you were the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?"

Sebastian furrowed his brow at the question, feeling like he was missing some important piece of the puzzle. Ciel hadn't seemed too happy with the executive touching him during his bath and he wasn't about to do anything else that might upset the young man more than he already was. The blonde groaned loudly as the silent contemplation stretched on for a few minutes.

"He's not going to ask you to stay with him, Sebastian." Alois said, giving the VP a dumb look. "You need to just go in there and act like what you're doing is completely normal and expected. He wants you there, he's just too proud to ask, so you have to make the first move." Motioning towards the open door and nodding in the general direction. Sebastian smiled at the younger male. It never ceased to amaze him how much insight the seemingly flighty blonde had on people sometimes.

"Are you alright?" The executive asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. He wasn't about to leave the young man alone if he still needed someone around to talk to.

"Yeah, I'm OK." Alois mumbled. "I just need some time to sort through some stuff and you two need to get reacquainted with one another again." Looking up and locking the older male in a serious gaze. "He needs you, Sebastian. You're everything to him, no matter how much he tries to deny it at times."

"Alright." The executive relented. "But if you get lonely or just want to talk, we are just in the other room." The blonde rolled his eyes again.

"Yes, I know where the other bedroom is located in this two-bedroom suite." Alois moaned dramatically, the VP chuckling as he left the room.

He was doing the right thing, the young man told himself as he rolled back onto his stomach and bunching the pillow under his chin. Ciel and Sebastian needed to be together right now so they could sort through all the crap that had happened since they had broken up. Besides, he needed some time alone to come to terms with what he had just learned.

Laying his head on the side, Alois closed his eyes tight, trying in vain to block out the overwhelming depression that crept over him. Mentally he repeated the same thing over and over in his mind; Claude had hurt Ciel. The man was the sole reason that his best friend was battered and bruised, maybe even half blind, in the bed just across the living space of the suite.

Calmly, the blonde chanted this mantra multiple times until his eyelids grew heavy and he fell into a deep peaceful sleep; dreaming of place where his lover could never do such a thing and Claude was still a good person.

* * *

Ciel's ears perked up as he listed to soft bare feet approach the bedroom. A delighted smirk lit up his face as he watched the executive walk through the door; a laptop and stack of papers cradled under his arm. The young man wanted to admonish himself for acting so giddy around the older male, but he couldn't seem to stop the overwhelming feeling each time he laid his eye on the VP.

Sebastian hummed as he made his way over to the opposite side of the bed where Ciel lay; sitting down and swinging his long legs over so that his back was propped up by a pile of fluffy pillows. Placing the papers on the nightstand next to him, the executive flipped open the expensive piece of technology and pressed a button so it could boot up.

Feeling the blue eye fixed on him, the older male decided to comment. "You know, it's rude to stare." Sebastian turned his head and smiled at the younger male. "So, please, tell me Ciel, why are you gawking at me like I sprouted an extra head or something?" An eyebrow arched playfully and Ciel blushed, quickly turning his attention to the bedspread instead.

"Um," he began, picking at the fabric, "I was just wondering what you are doing here. In the bed, I mean." His eye slid over to peek up at Sebastian's signature smirk and he glanced away again; a dusting of pink covering his cheeks.

"Well," the VP drawled out. "I am going to get some work done while you," he leaned down a bit so their foreheads almost touched, "are going to take another pain pill and go to sleep for a while." Ciel crinkled his nose at the statement and Sebastian chuckled at the immature response. "Come now, you can't tell me you aren't tired from this morning." Red eyes teased with a knowing look and the young man sighed in response.

Ciel reached for the pill bottle on his nightstand, knocking out a tablet into his hand before replacing the cap and grabbing a glass of water. Downing the medication, he sighed again and rolled back over so he could look at Sebastian while he lay down; the stuffed rabbit clutched tightly to his chest.

"What are you working on?" Ciel asked, curious as to what was going on in the outside world. "Anything I should know about?" The VP said nothing as he concentrated on the screen. The young man pouted and poked him in the arm with his finger.

"I'm actually going through your emails." The executive responded, his eyes still reading the monitor. A small gasp had him glancing over at the sound. "What?"

Ciel's jaw opened and closed before he found his voice. "Y-you're going through my messages?" He managed to squeak out before the shock turned into anger. "What gives you the right to do that?" He demanded as the VP smirked.

"I'm the Vice President of the New York office and this email account is company property. I have every right to peruse your email account." Sebastian said matter of factly, Ciel glaring at him. "Don't worry, I'm not spying on you." He teased lightly. "I'm just answering some of them so nobody gets suspicious about not hearing from you for a while." The VP soothed, watching the logic of his statement start to sink in and make sense to the younger male.

Even though he didn't approve of the idea, Ciel couldn't think of a good argument and instead snuggled further into the mattress. His eye was already starting to droop from the powerful narcotic he had just swallowed and the soft waves of peacefulness were starting to pull him towards rest. He yawned loudly and the executive chuckled at the action.

"Sebastian?" He mumbled out groggily, eye almost completely closed.

"Yes, Ciel?" The VP answered softly, leaning closer in order to hear the quiet request.

"Thank you," Ciel breathed, words almost inaudible, "for . . ." Sebastian smiled as the sentence faded out and sleep quickly took the young man, happy to see him at peace finally.

The executive took a moment to stare at the slumbering body next to him, taking in all the details again as if for the first time. He noticed how the pink lips parted slightly, air moving past them at an unhurried pace. Red eyes skimmed over the swell of a soft cheek and the long eyelashes that barely kissed the top of it. The older male smiled to himself and felt a pang in his chest, realizing that he was looking at something so precious that he had come so close to losing. Sighing, he sat upright and reached over to grab the pile of paperwork he had brought from the office.

Placing them on the laptop, the VP began to scan over the documents, eyes zeroing in first on the yellow marker that had highlighted the various texts. There were short notes in Ciel's neat handwriting throughout the margins and Sebastian furrowed his brow as he flipped through the pages. He didn't understand what the younger male and been doing with these old contracts; there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the order of things.

Spreading the documents out, the experienced executive tried to see the bigger picture. All the papers we excerpts of contracts and all the contracts were from previous clients who had left the firm; except for one spreadsheet that looked like a compilation of several accounts. Glancing back and forth between the information, Sebastian searched for a connection; a common link. It didn't make sense though; these were all Claude's old clients, so why would Ciel have Claude's old contracts and a financial statement? Red eyes flew open wide as the last puzzle piece finally fell into place.


	27. Chapter 27

Hours turned into days and days turned into weeks and before they knew it, almost an entire month had gone by since Ciel was attacked. In that time, the younger male's condition had improved slowly; beginning with getting in and out of the massive bed without any additional assistance.

Red eyes watched from a distance as every day Ciel would stand a little straighter and move a little faster as he made his way throughout the hotel suite. Eventually, the bruises faded away and by the end of three weeks, the young man looked almost like his old self except for the right side of his head which was still wrapped in the white gauze; covering the damaged eye.

Alois was delighted to see his best friend mobile again and the two would spend hours planted in front of the television making fun of British programming while munching on fresh pastries that the blonde mysteriously provided. The young male's daily trips each morning out of the hotel did not go unnoticed by the VP; who wondered where he scampered off to at such an early hour only to return before noon with another box of sweet delicacies from the same bakery.

However, whereas Alois went about his day thinking that things were finally going back to normal for him and his friend, Sebastian saw right through the act of nonchalance that Ciel had erected in front of the blonde. That façade would start to crumble every night after Alois would retire to bed, leaving his friend and the executive in the privacy of their own room.

The older male would sit quietly on the bed, pretending to work on his laptop as he slyly watched Ciel out of the corner of his eye. He observed how the young man would jump at every little sound, his small frame on high alert for any possible danger. Ciel's mood would shift dramatically from calm and content to angered and frightened in a matter of moments without any provocation, something that told the executive that there were bigger mental and emotional issues just below the surface of the stoic expression.

The odd behaviors started to develop shortly after the day Sebastian had given Ciel a bath. The young man had flinched from the executive's touch and it seemed to be that way with anyone who laid a hand on his bare skin. As soon as he was strong enough, Ciel had insisted; no, demanded by screaming at the top of his lungs that he could clean himself. The VP had gracefully stepped away and allowed the young man to go about his business in the bathroom, but it wasn't the outburst that had the older man worried. Instead, it was the sound of the lock clicking into place, effectively barring any unwanted visitors from entering, that concerned him the most.

Ciel had always been modest and could even have been described as bashful, however, he had always trusted the people around him and it had shown in his actions. Now, it was obvious to the executive that the young man no longer felt safe in his surroundings; always tense and prepared for an attack from anyone who might get too close. It was with this knowledge that made Sebastian start to think of a way to take Ciel away from London and back to the States with him.

England wasn't good for the young man's deteriorating mental health anymore and the VP was convinced that by taking him back to a place that didn't constantly stir up memories of what had happened was in his best interest. The older male's only real obstacle would be his boss and consequently, Ciel's biological father. The powerful CEO was not going to let his prized protégé go without a fight, but Sebastian was determined not leave him in harm's way again. So, armed with the information he had gained from reading Ciel's documents, the he had been busy formulating a plan; one that he was going to be putting into action very soon.

Sebastian kept his eyes trained on the screen in front of him, acting like he didn't notice the dip of the mattress next to him. Ciel shuffled his way under the covers and turned to look up at the executive, blue eye lidded with sleep. The VP had begun sleeping in the bed with the younger male after he had found out that Claude was the one guilty of the horrendous crime. The new sleeping arrangement was never anything the two had discussed; it just seemed comforting and familiar to rest this way together. Besides, the close proximity only helped Sebastian reach out and assuage Ciel in the early morning hours when the young man suffered from the nightmares that seemed to visit him on a regular basis.

"What are you doing?" Ciel asked quietly as he watched the executive fire off another email, making sure some part of his body touched the older male. It was important to him to fall asleep whilst having some form of physical contact. Ever since the sleep medication he had been prescribed ran out, Ciel found it impossible to fall asleep without knowing for certain that Sebastian was nearby; touching helped to soothe the anxiety.

"I am sending Finny an assignment for tomorrow." Red eyes glanced over and he smiled. "Hopefully he doesn't break the printer again. I don't know where I'm going to find it in our budget to purchase a new one." He frowned as the thought about the overly cheerful receptionist/assistant who always managed to break whatever he got his hands on. "You have a checkup tomorrow morning." Sebastian announced as he checked the calendar. "Your final one with Dr. Landers." Ciel stuck out his tongue and rolled over onto his back; sighing.

"Let's hope he gives me a clean bill of health." He muttered lowly, pouting. "I'm tired of being an invalid." The executive chuckled at the tone and Ciel glanced up. "What's so funny?"

Sebastian smiled and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss to the younger male's forehead. "I wouldn't go so far as to call you an invalid." He pulled back immediately, not wanting to give the young man a panic attack with too much too soon. Ciel needed to get used it intimacy again which meant the older male could only show his affections with light caresses and the occasional quick peck. "But it will be nice to know that everything has healed properly and maybe even get an update on how your eye is doing." The mention of his damaged eye made Ciel blush, the topic making him self-conscious.

A pinging sound from the laptop caught then pair's attention and Sebastian furrowed his brow as he opened the unread message, reading it quickly. Ciel crawled up next to the VP, his head brushing the broad shoulder so he could get a better look at what was written. The sudden closeness of the small body distracted Sebastian from his intense reading and he took a moment to relish the heat that passed between the two of them. He missed Ciel, he missed what they had; the laughs, the conversations, the sex, the love making and he let out a long breath as he restrained the urge to kiss the young man again.

"Why are you supposed to see Vincent tomorrow afternoon?" The question snapped the VP from his daydream and he cursed under his breath for Ciel having seen that particular email. Scooting back so he could look the executive in the eyes, "I thought he was still out of the country, Sebastian." A blue eye narrowed suspiciously. "What are you not telling me?"

The executive sighed, long fingers running through his bangs. He hadn't planned on involving Ciel in his dealings with the CEO, thinking it would easier on everybody if he just handled things on his own. However, seeing the determined expression on the young man's face, the VP felt he had no choice, but to divulge his intentions.

Fixing him with a serious stare, "I know about the embezzlement, Ciel." Sebastian said firmly, the young man's jaw dropping open in shock as he continued. "I figured it out from the paperwork Ronald gave me to bring home to you a few weeks ago." The VP explained before his tone softened. "That's why Claude attacked you, isn't it? You found out and threatened to expose him. Am I right?" Ciel's breath hitched in his throat at the question, color draining from his already pale face.

"I-I . . .," He stuttered, desperately searching for something to say. A heavy feeling settled in his chest as the young man hung his head, giving a defeated groan. "Yes, he didn't want me to go to Vincent with the information." Sebastian nodded thoughtfully at the admission, his last theory finally confirmed. Firing off a quick response email, the VP closed the laptop and put it on the nightstand before lying down on his side.

"Hey, listen to me." He commanded quietly, carefully lifting the small chin up with fingertips so he could look the young man in the eye. "I am not going to let Claude lay a single finger on you ever again, do you understand me?" Ciel nodded, his entire body relaxing at the promise.

"But how are you going to do that?" Ciel asked, logic starting to eat away at the secure feeling he had only moments ago. "At some point I'm going to have to go back to work and Claude will be there." The last thought faded out and the young man gaped in horror at the realization of his situation. "I'd have to see him, Sebastian, every day in the office." Panic began to worm its way into Ciel's heart and he started gasping for air, lungs constricting in on themselves from the stress.

Sebastian swiftly pulled the young man down to him, wrapping the trembling body in his arms and close to his chest. "Ssshhhh, calm down, baby." He soothed into the slate hair, Ciel's shoulders shuddering as he struggled to breathe normally. "You're never going to have to deal with that man ever again. That's why I am going to see Funtom tomorrow; to offer him a deal." The young man pushed against the firm chest with his hands in order to look up, shock written clearly over his face.

"A deal? What are you talking about?" Ciel wheezed as he took another long breath. This conversation was starting to sound oddly familiar to the one Claude had with him before the attack.

"Well, I'm going to bring to light Claude's fraud with all the evidence you uncovered and I have no doubt in my mind that Funtom will terminate him on the spot. That man loves money more than anything and he'll be livid that someone has been stealing it from right under his nose." The VP hummed in appreciation of his plan. "As for what I'm asking for in exchange," he focused his eyes on Ciel's, voice soft and gentle. "I want him to give you the option of coming back with me to the U.S. and transferring your position to the New York office. Would you want to do that? Come back with me, I mean." Sebastian swallowed hard, anxious to what the young man's answer would be to this request.

Ciel blinked in surprise at the offer, mouth opening and closing without a sound. He could see the longing in those warm crimson eyes and the slightest hint of apprehension drawn into the VP's handsome face from asking such a question. Not knowing what to do, he nibbled on his lower lip nervously, mentally scolding himself for still not having gotten rid of the habit once again.

"I-I'm not sure." He mumbled quietly. When the executive's face fell, Ciel quickly explained. "I just, I mean, it's a lot to think about." Grabbing one of Sebastian's hands so he wouldn't look away, "I need some time. Maybe after we talk to Vincent tomorrow, I'll have a better idea."

"We?" The VP arched an eyebrow skeptically, pushing his disappointment aside temporarily. "I'm sorry, but I wasn't aware that you were coming with me to his townhouse." In spite of himself, the executive couldn't help, but smirk at the presumptuousness of the young man.

"Yeah, we." Ciel confirmed, pulling back to sit up straight. "It's my research that found the fraud so it's only right that I am there when it is presented to Vincent. What? You didn't think I was going to let you go without me, did you?" The young man frowned in disapproval, crossing his arms over his chest resolutely. The stubborn action warmed Sebastian's heart to see some of the old Ciel resurface.

"Never crossed my mind." Sebastian smiled and rolled his eyes. "But I have one condition." He stated seriously, holding a finger in front of Ciel's face. "You need to listen to me and do what I tell you, understand?" The younger male huffed at the command, not liking the order, before giving a resigned sigh and nod.

"Good. That's settled then." The VP established, flicking off the light before lying back down. Ciel gave a quick yelp of surprise as Sebastian grabbed the slim wrist, pulling the startled young down with him. Wrapping his long arms around the small shoulders, the older male cuddled Ciel close to him, feeling the adrenaline leave the slender body and being replaced with ease. "Go to sleep, baby. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." He whispered into the soft hair.

Ciel yawned and buried his nose into the spun cotton of Sebastian's shirt, inhaling deeply the familiar scent of softener, cologne and masculinity. He felt warm and safe at the moment, the VP's arms keeping him firmly locked into place as the sound of a strong heartbeat lulled him to sleep.

* * *

Sitting in the waiting room of the hospital once again, Ciel's fingers drummed rapidly on the armrest of his chair. Annoyance filled the young man as he and Sebastian had arrived on time, however, the doctor did not seem to feel the need to offer them the same courtesy. He sighed as he looked at the clock on the wall, it was already 15 minutes past when the scheduled appointment should have been and Ciel just wanted this to be over already.

It was the first errand of the day for the pair; the second involving a meeting with the CEO in the early afternoon. However, this one was just as important as it was a follow up visit to see how Ciel was healing from his massive injuries just a few weeks earlier.

After what seemed like an eternity, a nurse finally came out and told them the doctor was read to see Ciel, but as she tried to lead the young man with her through a set of double doors alone, he panicked. Ciel refused to go anywhere without Sebastian by his side, so the nurse reluctantly agreed to the let the handsome older male tag along.

When Dr. Landers finally appeared, the young man was seated on an examination table bare of any clothing except for the scratchy hospital gown and the executive sat in a chair in the corner, carefully watching Ciel for any signs of anxiety. The physician went about greeting the two before beginning his examination.

Ciel grimaced as his body was poked and prodded with latex covered fingers. He answered 'yes' and 'no' to questions like, 'does it hurt when I press here' and 'how long ago did that disappear'. The young man tolerated everything fairly well until Dr. Landers reached for the bandage wrapped around his head, releasing the clasp to unwind the long gauze.

"Let's see how this eye is doing, shall we?" The physician hummed as Ciel froze, holding his breath as the sterile fabric became lighter with each layer removed. Fingers gently pressed into the cheekbone around the eye socket as the doctor nodded his approval. "Looks like everything healed up here nicely. No scarring or swelling to speak of." Reaching for an ophthalmoscope, Ciel flinched slightly as the device was pointed at his face. "Ciel, if you can open your eyelid, please do so now."

The young man complied and warily lifted his lid, watching the doctor's blank expression intently. Shining the light into the orb, the professional frowned to himself before backing away and writing something down on the chart. Ciel glanced over to Sebastian and shrugged his shoulders; the executive then cleared his throat loudly to remind the man they were still in the room.

"Alright." He announced, looking up from his clipboard. "Everything looks good. Your stats are all normal and your blood work came back clean for any STDs. There is the small matter of the rape kit we acquired during your previous admission though. What would you like me to do with it?" Dr. Landers smiled brightly as if this sort of conversation was one he had every day and considering his occupation, it probably was.

The young man glanced over his shoulder at Sebastian, looking for an answer; the VP just shook his head, it was not his decision to make. Ciel nibbled on his lower lip as he mulled the idea over in his mind. Sitting up straight, he squared his shoulders to give an answer.

"Get rid of it." He proclaimed calmly, receiving a somewhat shocked look from the specialist. "I don't want it anymore. I'm not pressing charges so there is no use for it." He ordered again, his blue eye dark with authority. The doctor furrowed his brow and wrote something down before looking back up.

"Now to the matter of your eye." He began, Sebastian leaned forward in his chair to listen more closely. "There is some permanent discoloration in the iris. This is from blood becoming trapped in the folds of the iris during the time of injury and so the color is now closer to a violet than your natural blue." The doctor paused for a moment. "I didn't see any reaction in the pupil to light from the ophthalmoscope. Can you see anything at all, Ciel?"

Ciel nodded slightly. "A little, but everything is very blurry." His shoulders sagged at the depressing news. The young man had known that it was a long shot to think that his eye would heal completely, but that didn't make taking the reality of the situation any easier.

"Well, you should rest it for now. Here." Dr. Landers interrupted Ciel's thoughts while handing him a piece of black cloth. "Wear this every day to assist in the healing process and only take it off at night or when bathing." The young man took the item and unraveled the long strings from it, taking a moment to view the eye patch before positioning it on his face and securing the ties behind his head.

Catching a glimpse of himself in a small mirror above the sink, Ciel's face fell. "I look like a freaking pirate." He complained quietly, biting his lip to keep from crying at the unfairness of it all. He jumped a little when long arms wrapped around his small waist and a chin placed itself on the crook of his neck.

"Yes, but a very sexy pirate." Sebastian whispered in his ear, the sensation causing the young man to shiver slightly. The VP ran the tip of his nose along the smooth neck, breathing in the scent of lavender and Ciel. Glancing up at the doctor who now looked very uncomfortable in the room, "Can you give us a referral to for an eye specialist by chance?"

Dr. Landers nodded, backing towards the door. "Of course. I will have it ready for when you stop by reception in a few minutes." Opening the door and narrowing his eyes at the entwined pair. "Remember, I said a few minutes. Don't stay here doing unclean things with each other instead of getting ready to leave." He practically hissed before exiting the room.

Sebastian pulled his head off Ciel's shoulder to shoot him a look. The young man tried desperately to suppress the giggle that was starting to erupt from his throat, but the astonished look on the VP's face had him soon bent over with laughter. The sound of the young man's merriment bounced off the sterile walls and Sebastian smiled at the beautiful tone, glad to hear it once again.

* * *

Ciel rested his forehead against the window of the black sedan that drove smoothly down the streets of London. His hand reached up and fiddled with the string of his new eye patch, the fingers pulling at the odd eyepiece that was now part of his ensemble. Sebastian glanced over from his side of the backseat, wondering what was going through the young man's mind as the driver continued to take them to their destination of the CEO's townhouse.

The car came to a stop in front of an old three story building overlooking Kensington Square. Both men got out, taking a moment to straighten out their clothing before silently walking up the marble steps and coming to stand in front of a large black door.

Ciel shot the executive a nervous glance, his previously strong desire to accompany the man on this trip beginning to melt into anxiety. Sebastian's eyes flitted down and he smiled as he lightly squeezed the young man's hand; the gesture instantly putting him at ease. With a deep breath Ciel nodded and the VP raised the heavy brass door knocker, rapping it multiple times on the faceplate loudly.

The door opened to reveal a petite woman in a traditional maid's outfit. "May I help you, sirs?" She asked, brown eyes and smile soft as she greeted the visitors on the stoop.

"Sebastian Michaelis to see Mr. Funtom." The VP smiled politely. "I have an appointment with him this afternoon." Recognition of the executive's name registered on the maid's face and she nodded in affirmation of the statement.

"Mr. Funtom is expecting you. He is in the study, if you will follow me please." She replied, stepping back to hold the door open so the guests could proceed inside. The maid hung up the gentlemen's coats before motioning them to follow her through the foyer and coming to stop in front of set of large dark wooden doors.

"Ciel," Sebastian said quietly, pulling the young man to the side. "Stay out here in the hallway until I come and get you." Red eyes were serious as Ciel opened his mouth to complain, but the VP interjected. "He doesn't know you're here with me. Let me have a word with him first." He cupped the small face in both his hands, searching desperately in the one visible eye for understanding. With an irritated huff, Ciel nodded and grumbled something incoherently as Sebastian released him, a smirk appearing on the older male's face at the reaction.

He wanted more than anything to lean down and plant a light kiss to those pouting lips, to have Ciel wrap his slender arms around the VP's neck and pull him close. A strange feeling stirred in the executive's chest as his gaze slid over the young man, realizing that he never took such opportunities before when he had the chance. Sebastian made a mental vow to never let these important moments pass him by again because of what society or the corporate world deemed appropriate. Shaking the heavy thought out of his mind, the executive turned to follow the maid who now waited patiently by the doors.

The maid held the door open and Sebastian stepped through into the CEO's massive study. Decorated in dark wood with floor to ceiling shelves filled the books, the area boasted elegance and nobility. A perfect paring for the powerful man who now sat in the center of the room hunched over his massive desk, light spilling in from the large windows placed at his back.

"Sir?" The maid informed softly. "Sebastian Michaelis is here to see you." The CEO looked up from his work and stood to rebutton his suit jacket. The VP walked over and shook hands with the man before taking a seat in front of the desk, one ankle crossed over his knee.

"That will be all, Elise." He addressed and she nodded her head before leaving quickly, shutting the door behind her as she went. Looking over the desk at his employee, "I have to say I am surprised when you said you wanted to have a meeting, but not as surprised to find out that you were in London already." An eyebrow arching at the executive, "What are you doing here, Michaelis?"

Sebastian cleared his throat while leaning back in the leather chair. "I had a few things that needed to be taken care of. So, I hopped on a flight and came over." He stated calmly, not giving away any more information than necessary.

"Do you mind elaborating on said things? I don't have all day to sit here playing guessing games with you." He informed, fingers steepled in front of his lips, eyes burning into his subordinate with irascibility from the slow progression to the point of the conversation.

"Of course, my apologies." Sebastian commented politely before leaning forward in his seat. "It has been recently brought to my attention that there have been illegal activities taking place within the company. Through further investigation, it is apparent that these unethical dealings have been going on for quite some time and have gone unnoticed by anyone until now." Red eyes held dark brown ones, neither daring to look away first, neither wanting to let the power slip from their grasp.

The CEO's brow furrowed at the information, his expression unreadable. "What sort of illegal activities and how did you come across them?" He asked, tone calm and even.

"I wasn't the one who found it initially; however, from the documents discovered, I am sorry to say that one FPE's very own executive's has been laundering money through client contracts." The VP said lowly, on edge for any reaction the CEO may have as the story continued. "Unfortunately, all the evidence points to Claude Faustus as being the sole party involved in the fraud. They were his clients and contracts which showed money that should have been deposited into a LLC, but never was; even though it had been collected from the clients for that purpose alone." Sebastian finished; a stern look on his face.

"Hmmmm," The CEO hummed in thought. "Where is this evidence now? Did you bring it with you?" He arched an eyebrow.

"No." The executive shook his head, the other man's expression looking surprised for only a second before it darkened with suspicion. Brows furrowed again as he began to calculate what the VP was up to, wanting to put an end to this game of twenty questions.

A malevolent smile spread over the powerful man's face as he came to a conclusion. The executive watched as the CEO sighed and stood up from his seat, smoothing any wrinkles out of his expensive suit before turning around to stare out of the window. Hands clasped behind his back, the man gazed at the expanse of the square as he spoke.

"So, if I understand this correctly." He began calmly. "You wanted to see me to inform me of the blatant illegal activities that have been taking place in my company." The CEO paused for a moment, glancing over his shoulder to see the VP nod in affirmation. "Yet, you show up here without any of the materials to support your claim against another colleague. Which begs the question, Michaelis, what is it you want exactly?"

"What I am requesting is not for me." Sebastian stated firmly, sitting up straighter in his chair. "I will give you all the documentation I have acquired concerning the fraudulence." The CEO spun around to face the executive, amusement apparent in his eyes. "In exchange, I am asking for you to consider allowing the Client Development Manager position to be based out of the New York office instead of London." Red eyes bore into brown as neither said anything for what seemed like forever; the CEO's silence making the VP apprehensive.

"What happened to you, Michaelis?" He asked, shaking his head. "You used to be a force to be reckoned with; my prize VP." The CEO walked back behind his desk and placed his palms on the smooth surface to get a better look at the stunned executive. "You were an animal; a brutal beast who knew how to use every little thing to his advantage. Caring for no one and nothing except your own financial gain." Cocking his head to the side, "And in turn, FPE benefited very nicely from your drive and success." The CEO clicked his tongue with disdain; Sebastian was struck speechless by the change of direction the discussion had taken.

"In your hands you hold a rather large bargaining chip." He explained. "You could ask for anything you want from me; profit sharing, stock options, hell! You could even have ask for a promotion to CFO!" Disgust evident in his voice, the words spit as if they had a vile taste. "But instead you sit here begging on someone else's behalf." The CEO shook his head, not understanding the VP's request at all. "And, no. I will not let Ciel go back to New York. I need him here in London where I can keep an eye on him and guide his progression." He stated, tone firm and absolute in the matter.

Sebastian just sat and stared, flabbergasted by what had just happened. Not only did the CEO deny his request to transfer Ciel's position, but the man completely breezed over the entire embezzlement to instead spend time insulting him. The gears turned in his mind as he tried to make sense of everything when something dawned on him. Ruby eyes narrowed and the executive's jaw clenched as he spoke the thought that he knew most likely to be true.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" The question dripping with accusation as Sebastian tightened his fists in anger. "What Claude was doing, you knew and you didn't stop him. Why?" The CEO smirked before giving a dark chuckle, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Do you honestly think that I don't know about every single financial transaction that happens in my own company?" He sneered, expression changing almost instantly to one of pure aggression. "I knew from the very start what Claude was doing. He came to me a few years ago wanting to renegotiate his contract for a larger salary, but when I refused he became angry and told me I would regret it." Walking around the desk, the CEO leaned down, grabbing the armrests of the chair and effectively pinning the VP in his place. "He's an egotistical ass, Claude Faustus, but a brilliant one nonetheless. So, I kept an eye on him and soon found out what he was up too." Sebastian pushed himself as far back against the chair as possible, doing anything to create more space between him and the loathed man.

"In the end, he got his money; just not in the way he originally intended." The CEO mused. "Even better for me, since it didn't come out of the company's budget, but the client's who were too foolish to read their contracts thoroughly." Pushing off the chair and leaning against the edge of his desk. "You don't get rid of talent like that, Michaelis. You keep it close by and use it when necessary." He smiled viciously. "Just like I plan to do with Ciel." Sebastian launched out of his seat, rage taking a hold of him as he lunged for the CEO, grabbing the expensive suit and shaking the man.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" The VP hissed, faces only centimeters apart. "That man stole from your clients and don't see anything wrong with that?" Red eyes burned with the intensity to beat the life out of the man, knuckles turning white as Sebastian tried to calm himself down. "And Ciel is your son! He's a human being that you can't just use for whatever you want!"

Roughly shoving the executive off his body, the CEO shot his employee a deadly glare. "It's my company and I will run it how I see fit. I will decide what to do in these matters, not you!" He shouted, closing the space between them again to grab the lapels of the VP's suit and shaking him. "You are all just my pawns! And I will move you around to whatever works to my best advantage! Do you understand, Michaelis?"

Before Sebastian could retort, the CEO's slammed his hands against the executive's chest with such force that he stumbled backwards. His feet tripped over one another and the tall man lost his balance, crashing loudly onto the floor, a loud grunt leaving his lips as the breath was knocked out of his body momentarily.

Shaking the daze of the impact from his head, Sebastian lay on his back and propped himself up by his elbows as the CEO slowly walked towards his fallen executive. Red eyes watched as the powerful man sauntered over, fixing the cufflinks on his dress shirt and frowning at the wrinkles in his shirt.

"You will do well to remember your place, Michaelis." He advised, a smirk of amusement on his face. He continued calmly, still not meeting the VP's furious gaze. "I control you, all of you. This is my kingdom I've built and you will respect the decisions I make whether about you or any of my other employees; especially Ciel." Coming to stand between the long legs sprawled out on the ground, he clacked his tongue. "I'm not letting him go. Ciel is my heir and as such, he will be molded into the man I see fit. And there is absolutely nothing you can do about it."

Sebastian snorted, fury and pride making it impossible for him to agree with the man. He wouldn't let this man have anymore of Ciel than he already did. Ever since Vincent had come back into the young man's life, he had done nothing, but cause him pain. The VP was determined to put an end to this, but if he didn't have the embezzlement to use as leverage he was left without any other options. Frustration burned in his veins and he grit his teeth as he watched the CEO gloat over him.

Across the room, a door clicked open quietly and a blue eye peered through the space, curious as to what the loud thudding noise was only minutes before. Ciel froze as he took in the scene that was quickly deteriorating in front him in the CEO's study.

* * *

Ciel leaned his back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and groaned lowly in boredom. He had been standing outside the study in the hallway for what felt like hours, but in reality it had not even been thirty minutes. The young man had spent the time, however, mulling a few things over in his head.

Sebastian had asked him if he wanted to go back to New York and the executive was going to use the information from Ciel's research in a sort of barter exchange where the young man's position could be moved out of the London office and into the States. The idea was very tempting and Ciel found himself hoping for that end result more with each passing minute. It would be ideal and he was damn sure that he didn't want to go back to work in the same space as Claude Faustus.

An involuntary shudder ran through his small frame as he thought the London VP's name and Ciel screwed his eyes shut in an attempt to dispel the memories it conjured up. No, he definitely wanted to return to America with Sebastian, but if the CEO refused then he didn't have much choice in the matter and would have to stay where he was currently. Although, the executive's plan had to work, there was no way Vincent Funtom was going to let someone get away with stealing money from his company, so either way, Ciel felt he would be safe from his attacker when it was all said and done.

A muted thud was heard through the closed wooden doors next to him and Ciel's attention instantly focused on where it had come from. He could barely make out the two men talking in the study, but what he had just heard sounded very much like something heavy had made an impact with the floor. Curiosity taking over and the only other alternative being to wait for the VP to come and get him, Ciel decided to take a peek into the room.

Carefully and quietly, the young man turned the knob and gingerly pushed open the door slowly. Ciel knew that Sebastian would probably yell at him for not waiting like he was supposed to, but that would only happen if the executive saw him and that was something he was determined to avoid. Peering through the crack, Ciel's jaw dropped and his eye widened by what he saw going on inside.

Sebastian's back was turned to him, his body on the floor, shoulders lifted and supported by his elbows. The CEO stood over his employee, looking down and smirking before saying something in a low tone. It was apparent to Ciel what had caused the loud thud from earlier, but he couldn't understand how the VP had ended up on the ground in the first place; unless there had been a fight. The thought making the younger male panic and he forgot needing to go unnoticed as he charged into the room.

"Sebastian!" He shouted, blue eye wide with alarm as Ciel ran over. Both men turned to see who and burst into the room as the young man kneeled beside the VP. "Are you OK?" He asked, gripping the executive's arm and assisting him in standing up. "What happened?" Red eyes gave him a warm, yet disapproving look.

"I thought I told you to wait outside." He chided lightly, a hand reaching out to cup Ciel's cheek and giving it a reassuring rub. The young man closed his eye and sighed into the touch, the intense anxiety from seeing Sebastian on the floor possibly injured ebbing away. A throat being cleared nearby snapped them out of their moment and both men looked toward the sound.

The CEO watched the two, his eyes narrowed and arms crossed over his chest. "Really, Michaelis? You couldn't come alone? Why is Ciel here?" Tilting his head slightly, the man focused his attention on his son. "What that hell happened to your face?" He sneered, disgust lacing his tone where concern should have been.

"Um, I," Ciel fumbled as he tried not to fidget with his fingers. He hadn't planned on bursting in the room unannounced and now he realized he was being asked a question he didn't want to be giving an answer too. Sighing and straightening his shoulders, the young man looked his father in the eyes. "There was a disagreement and while defending myself I acquired this eye injury." It was a blurry watercolor of the truth after all.

"You idiot." The CEO growled, fists clenching. Ciel took a step back into Sebastian, completely caught off guard by the man's reaction. "What the fuck am I supposed to do with you now?" He cursed, anger shaking his frame. "You're supposed to be the face of our client relations. Nobody is going to want to do business with us if you look like some sort of fucking deranged pirate! Fuck!" A heavy breath left his lips as he glared at the young man who now was practically shaking.

This wasn't how Ciel pictured his father finding out about his new handicap. Granted, he hadn't thought the man was going to be happy about it, but never did it cross the young man's mind that the CEO would be this angry and for all the wrong reasons. Ciel whimpered at the aggressive tone and pushed his body further back into Sebastian's chest.

"What was it over?" The CEO continued to rage loudly. "I hope it was something good! Fucking moron!" He cursed again and Ciel could hear Sebastian growl quietly above him. The man closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he felt a headache coming on. "God dammit! I don't have time for stupid shit like this, Ciel. I'll let Faustus deal with you on Monday." The man waved his hand at the younger male, effectively dismissing him from the room.

Terror surged through Ciel's body at the thought of having to see the man who attacked him again and he shot out of the executive's grip before Sebastian had any time to try and restrain him. Coming to stand in front of the CEO, the young man grabbed a hold the man's lapels and forced the angry brown eyes look into his one blue orb.

"N-no, please don't. Not w-with him." Ciel begged, words stuttering as he fought to breathe, fear and panic the only thing he could feel at moment. The CEO gave him a confused look and snarled, ripping his clothing from the small shaking hands.

"What the hell are you yammering about?" He barked, patience having worn thin. "Quit whining like a little girl! Faustus is your mentor now and it is his job to deal with you as he sees fit." He shot the VP a warning look as he took a step forward. "I don't care what possible reason you have to not want to work him, but-"

"He raped me!" Ciel screamed, tears breaking free and running down the side of his face. "He fucking raped me! After he beat the living shit out of me and took my eye!" He tore the eye patch violently from his face, leaving the scarred lid visible to all in the room. The young man panted for air, shoulders heaving with rage and pain as he watched his boss quietly make his way back around the desk, taking a seat again.

The CEO folded his hands calmly in front of him, face blank as he addressed his son. "Is that the best you could come up with?" He asked seriously. Ciel felt like the floor had dropped out from under him and he gave a shuddering gasp. "I don't really care how you messed up your face, Ciel. Just fix it and don't go around making up such ludicrous stories and accusing people of such crimes." He shook his head.

"B-but, it's true." Ciel squeaked, the realization seeping in that his father did not believe him. Sebastian came to stand behind the young man, his hands placing themselves firmly on the small shoulders in support. This wasn't the executive's argument anymore and he could nothing more than watch at this point. "H-he-"

"He what, Ciel?" The CEO argued, annoyance clear in his tone. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that Faustus assaulted you and then fucked you against your will? The man is married for Christ's sake! Why would he do such a disgusting thing?" He roared and the young man let out a shaky breath, doing his best not to pass out. "And if he did, which I highly doubt it, do what you are accusing him of, where is your proof? Hm, police reports, evidence? Those things are all necessary to make a claim like yours valid. You should have thought about that before coming up with this fucking ridiculous excuse." He grumbled, glaring at his son.

Fury burned in Ciel and he lunged forward, hands gripping the edge of the desk. "But we didn't file a report! I didn't want to and the kit, in the hospital, I told them today I didn't want it anymore." His voice faded out as the horror of what he was saying dawned on him. Ciel had refused to press charges. He had asked for the only piece of physical evidence to be destroyed just a few hours ago. There was nothing now, nothing to link Claude to the crime, only his word and that didn't seem to be enough anymore.

"How convenient." The CEO grumbled. "And I suppose you've thought up a motive for this as well." When Ciel looked away the man smirked. "Oh, come now, don't keep me waiting. This has got to be the best joke I've heard in a long time."

A blue eye snapped back, glowing dark with loathing. "I found out he was embezzling money from the company and after I confronted him about it he attacked me." He gave the young man a surprised look before a vicious smile began to grow. It wasn't long before that frightening smile turned into low malevolent chuckles and then into manic laughter.

Ciel stepped back into the VP's embrace, clinging to the strong arms that wrapped around him as they watched the man laugh wildly at only something he knew the punch line too. The young man forced himself to calm down; taking comfort in the way Sebastian held him close. The executive grit his teeth and red eyes flashed dangerously at the immense joy this soulless man was having at his lover's expense.

When the CEO regained some composure he smirked at his son. "So, it was you who uncovered the fraud. Hmmm, interesting." He chuckled again. "If that is the case, then it was your mistake by approaching Faustus before coming to me. As an executive he did whatever he had to do to save his own ass. You should learn from his example of self-preservation." The man finished, brown eyes glowing with superiority.

"God dammit, Vincent!" Sebastian spat, not being able to control his temper any longer. "He is your son and he just told you that he was raped by Claude! How the fuck can you just sit there and side with that piece of shit!" Ciel pushed against the tall man as he tried to move past him and towards the CEO. Still struggling to get around the young man, "You don't fucking deserve to have a son! You have no fucking clue how to love!"

Shooting up from his seat, the CEO grit his teeth and glared at his executive. "Watch your tone, Michaelis! Do not question me on things you know nothing about. Hell! Who have you ever loved besides yourself?" The two men stood across from one another, fists clenched and bodies tensed to spring into action at the slightest provocation.

"Your fucking son!" Sebastian bellowed, Ciel's eyes widening at the admission. The CEO blanched at the statement, but the VP wasn't finished. "I've been in love with Ciel since I first laid eyes on him in my office. And I've grown to love him more every day since, Vincent." Glancing down to gauge the young man's reaction, he smiled when he saw Ciel blush and the sight calmed him a little. "Actually, I should thank you, Vincent." Red eyes flicking back to the now shocked man. "If it hadn't been for you manipulating the temp agency to place Ciel at the firm, I may never have met him." The executive lovingly brushed his knuckles against the young man's wet cheek, a small grin on Ciel's mouth.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The CEO almost stuttered, eyes wide with disbelief as they darted between his executive and son. "You're fucking gay? Both of you?" He choked on a breath as he watched the pair exchange an intense look between them.

Sebastian wrapped his arm around Ciel's waist, pulling the small body flush to him, fingertips lifting the small chin up to gaze into the deep blue eye. He smiled warmly as pink colored the pale cheeks and he felt the lithe hands come to rest on his chest. A plump lower lip trembled in apprehension as to what was to come next, head tilting back out of habit to look up at the executive.

"Ciel, I love you. I never stopped." Sebastian whispered, his voice soft as he leaned down. "I messed up and kept things from you, but if you let me, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Can you ever find it in yourself to forgive me?" Ciel nodded, pushing himself up to meet the older male's mouth halfway, lips molding over each other and falling into the familiar pace they had learned so long ago.

Ciel pulled his body tighter against the executive's, letting himself be cradled by the strong arms as he tasted Sebastian again. A soft moan left his mouth, but Sebastian didn't push for more and he slowly broke the kiss, placing two light pecks on the delectable lips before hugging Ciel close to him, just enjoying the feeling of having his lover in his arms again.

The CEO made a gagging noise in response to seeing his son kiss another man. "This is disgusting." He growled, eyes filled with hate. "You two are fucking disgusting. My son is a fucking faggot." Squaring his shoulders, the man stood tall and pointed wildly at the duo. "This joke of a relationship stops now!" He ordered, authority lacing every word. "You'll destroy the company with a scandal like this. The industry will eat us alive if it finds out that you two are, are, fuck!"

Sebastian glanced over, still holding the young man close. "I really don't care what you or the industry thinks about us, Vincent." Long fingers rubbed circles into Ciel's back as a blue eye peered over at his father. "You can do or say whatever you want about me or my career, because without Ciel it's all worthless." He stated firmly, his words ringing clear and true throughout the room.

Gazing back down at the young man again, before meeting the infuriated man's eyes again. "Oh, and I resign from my position as Vice President of the New York office." Sebastian smirked, letting his arms drop from Ciel and grasping the small hand in his own, lacing their fingers together.

Ciel watched Sebastian's face, searching for signs of distress or uncertainty there from the proud statement he had just made. However, the young man could find nothing of the sort, if anything, the older male almost seemed happy with having the CEO know the truth about his sexuality and their relationship. Ciel felt his heart swell with happiness at not only hearing the executive proclaim his love so loudly, but that he seemed to be at peace with having done so.

The young man looked at the CEO, head cocking to the side as he viewed the man who was responsible for half his biological makeup, the man who he had always been so curious about and wanted to get to know one day. As his eye swept over the raging bull of person behind the large desk wearing expensive clothing, he couldn't understand why he had cared so much. This man was nothing, but an unethical bigot filled with hate and poison and Ciel no longer felt the need to know anymore about him and his bitter world.

Lifting his head, he took a deep breath. "I resign as well." Ciel stated firmly, mouth set in a serious line. "I refuse to have any further dealings with FPE." The CEO's eyes bulged as if he had been sucker punched, mouth opening and closing in silence. "It's be nice knowing you; daddy." He finished, smirking at the last word.

Sebastian chuckled at the sarcastic tone. "Come on, let's go home." He stated, tugging lightly Ciel's hand and leading them across the room. When they reached the doors, a strangled cry stopped them and the executive glanced over his shoulder to see the CEO standing up, eyes burning with murderous intent.

"I'll fucking ruin you for this, Michaelis!" He spat, chest heaving with wrath. "Fucking Faggots! You will never work in this industry ever again, do you hear me?" The man screamed and Sebastian shook his head in disappointment, ignoring the tirade and stepping through a door, shutting it behind them.

The sound of glass smashing into the wooden barrier and a flurry of muffled curses were heard through the heavy door, but neither cared and instead kept walking down the hallway towards the townhouse's entrance. Collecting their coats, Sebastian and Ciel got back into the town car and began their short trip back to the hotel.

Blue locked onto red as both men smiled to one another, knowing that they had made the right decision not only for themselves, but for their relationship as well. Tomorrow was a new day, one that they would start anew; together.


	28. Chapter 28

Coming back to New York felt like coming home to Ciel, something he never thought would be the case in a million years. He didn't realize how much he had missed the overcrowded streets and pushy people until he had actually been gone long enough to understand that this dirty shiny city had become a part of him.

After officially resigning from FPE, Sebastian had set to work making the preparations that would take them out of London and back to the States. Flights were booked, emails sent out to previous clients of his departure from the firm, and discussions were had over where the hell Ciel was going to live in the city, since Alois already had a roommate who had signed a year-long rental agreement. The former executive made the decision a simple one; Ciel would move in with him.

There was more than enough space in his condo for them both and with Ciel now being unemployed, it would be best if he didn't need to worry about paying rent while still in recovery. Besides, Sebastian wanted to keep him close by to observe his mental well-being and to ward off anymore panic attacks that seemed to come out of nowhere these days; especially the ones at night in which the older male would hold the young man close until the frightening nightmares subsided and he could fall peacefully asleep again. Sebastian would be lying if he said he wasn't a little more than concerned about the fragile state of his lover's mind at the moment.

Ciel had taken on the task of making Alois swear on all things cute and cuddly like kittens, puppies and duckies to keep his mouth shut about what had happened over in London. The blonde did promise to keep it all a secret although had he grumbled the entire time about how his friend's attitude was stupid and it didn't make any sense why he was trying so hard to hide something that wasn't even his fault.

To Ciel though, it wasn't that he was trying to hide the fact that he had been sexually assaulted, but instead, he viewed it as moving past the incident. He didn't want to dwell in the past on things he could not change and so the young man kept pushing the terrifying event to the back of his mind, placing one foot in front of the other towards his new life, focusing on the future.

It was with this attitude that Ciel had called Detective Aberline and firmly told him to stop the investigation into his attack. The man had been polite, however, giving reason after reason to Ciel why not catching the culprit was ill advised, but he was resolute in his decision. So, after almost an hour of arguing the detective had sighed in frustration and eventually gave in to the young man's demands. Ciel thanked him for his effort and hung up the call, feeling a tad lighter that he had closed one more door on something he would rather not think about anymore.

After being back in the United States for about two weeks, Sebastian finally convinced Ciel to call his mother. The young man had been avoiding talking to her and instead had been responding via short emails, pretending that he was still in London. The former executive had been on him since before they left England about contacting Rachel and letting her know the current state of her son's life and how it got that way.

Now, sitting on the bed in a white t-shirt and black boxer briefs, Ciel pouted at Sebastian who watched him from the doorway as he dialed the familiar digits into the smartphone. Holding the device up to his ear, the young man scowled at him, earning a low chuckle as the man left the room to give him some privacy.

'Mom?' Ciel asked as he heard the feminine voice pick up on the other end.

'Oh, hi honey!' Rachel greeted cheerfully. 'How are you?' Pausing for a moment, 'And why are you calling so late? It must be after midnight where you are.' Ciel cringed as he realized that his mother still thought he was in London, where it would be about 1 am in the morning.

'Ahh, no, it's not late.' He fumbled and then sighing in resignation. 'Mom, I'm not in London. I'm back in New York.' Ciel waited for the moment of silence to pass as his mother registered what he had said.

'New York? Cici, what are you doing there?' Rachel's intuition kicked in as she processed the thought aloud. 'Oh, my God! Did something happen to you? Are you alright? Was it Vincent? I swear that man is ju-'

'No, no, everything's fine, Mom!' Ciel practically shouted into the device, doing his best to soothe his overprotective mother's nerves. 'I just, I was homesick.' He lied quietly; glancing up to make sure Sebastian wasn't around to hear him. 'I didn't like it there. It wasn't what I thought it would be.' Ciel bit hard into his lower lip, feeling incredibly guilty for lying to his mother.

'Oh, honey, I'm so sorry that it didn't work out. I know how much you wanted it to.' Her voice soft and full of regret before digging deeper. 'So, what made you change your mind? You seemed very sure of your decision when you left.'

Ciel inwardly cursed his mother's stubbornness, the same trait he had inherited that drove Sebastian up the wall at times. She wasn't going to let the subject of her son's sudden return drop without having a reasonable excuse as to why. The young man scrambled through his mind to come up with something suitable, because anything was better than the truth in his opinion.

'There was an issue with the London VP.' He began; mind racing. 'He was doing some things I didn't approve of and when I told Vincent about it, he backed his executive instead of me.' Ciel took a deep breath as he waited for Rachel to accept the partial truth of his story.

'Well, I guess I can see why you wouldn't want to work there after that.' She mulled over slowly. 'Any place that unethical is certainly not a good company to stake out your career at.' Rachel sighed out loud, 'That does sound like something Vincent would do though. Turn a blind eye just to make a profit.' Ciel exhaled; shoulders relaxing as it seemed his falsehood was being received favorably.

'Yeah,' He agreed heartily. 'It just wasn't a good fit for me.' Grinning widely at having come up with something so convincing on the spot. 'Oh! I'm staying with a friend of mine now until I get back on my feet.'

A movement caught Ciel's eye and he glanced up to see Sebastian leaning against the doorframe again, arms crossed over his chest. However this time, the older male's face held no amusement; disapproval instead shining from the deep ruby orbs.

'Uh, mom.' Ciel interrupted his mother. 'I have to go. I'll talk to you later, ok?' The young man said his 'goodbyes' and 'I love yous' before ending the call and setting down the phone, giving the former executive his full attention.

"What?" He asked abruptly, blue eye warily watching as Sebastian pushed his tall frame out of the door and sauntered over to the bed. Ciel took in the deprecating expression on the handsome face, already not liking whatever was on the intelligent man's mind.

"Explain to me, if you will," he started, lowering himself to sit on the edge of the mattress, red eyes narrowing. "Why did you feel the need to lie to your mother about what happened in London?" Long fingers reached out to pull Ciel's chin back when he tried to avert his gaze by turning his head. "Ah-ah, I'm talking to you. It's impolite not to answer such a simple question." Sebastian teased, hoping to ease the tension in the room his inquiry had created.

Ciel blinked a few times in defiance until finally relenting with a deep sigh. "She didn't need to know. Besides, what good would it do if I told the truth? It wouldn't change anything." He huffed, shaking his head free from the strong grasp. "I don't understand why we keep needing to dwell on it." He complained; face twisting in annoyance and glaring. "It happened. It's over. So, let's just move on."

Sebastian leaned back, quietly observing the Dr. Jekyll to the young man's Mr. Hyde. Ciel did this a lot lately, his personality almost manic as one moment he was completely fine, his normal 21 year old self and then; the switch would flip. Something, a word or a touch, would set him off into an infuriated mess, his metaphorical tail fluffing up and hair standing on edge. It wasn't good and Sebastian felt it was time to broach a topic he had been avoiding for a few weeks now.

"Ciel, I think there are some things we need to discuss." He began calmly, his demeanor and tone similar to one that a person would use attempting to talk a jumper off a ledge. "I believe that it would be in your best interest if we sought some counseling for you." The young man opened his mouth to protest, but Sebastian didn't give him time to respond. "There are things that neither I nor you are capable of handling with our limited knowledge of the human mind and requires a professional's assistance."

Wrapping his large hands around Ciel's smaller ones, Sebastian looked pleadingly into the angry blue eye. "Please, for me, agree to see someone. Just to talk, it might help you deal with these issues you have after what happened." Ciel gasped in disbelief and wretched his hands away, holding them close to his chest as he glared murderously at the older male.

"Issues? You want me to deal with my issues?" He demanded, voice growing in intensity with each word. "Well, I'm sorry, Sebastian. I'm sorry if my 'issues'," he sneered making air quotes, "have become too much of an inconvenience for you. Maybe you're the one who needs professional help so you can better deal with them, hmm, you ever think of that?" Ciel lashed out, his own insecurities and fear being misdirected at the only person he could yell at and not scare off.

Sebastian sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He should have expected this type of reaction since any suggestion, no matter how small, had been met with the same type of resistance as of late. Taking a deep breath, he tried again.

"You're not an inconvenience to me, Ciel, but there's only so much I can do to help you move past this." He explained, crimson eyes weary and patience beginning to wane. "If you talk to someone then you might be ab-"

"But I'm already past it!" He cried, giving Sebastian a dumb look. "You're the one who keeps bringing it up!" Ciel accused, lips pursing and an eyebrow raising at having made his point.

Irritation was beginning to boil over Sebastian's calm appearance. This sort of behavior had been going on for weeks and it was only getting worse. Every day he watched helplessly as the person he loved the most slipped away only to be replaced by this rage filled monster who sat before him now. He wanted Ciel back, his Ciel, but more than that he wanted to see the young man truly happy again. Sebastian was tired of waiting, of sitting by and watching this change take place.

"Fine!" He spat, standing up. "If you think you're perfectly alright and so well adjusted, then you can sleep alone tonight." Long legs strode purposefully across the room, leaving behind a wide eyed and open mouthed Ciel. "Enjoy your night terrors." He growled lowly before slamming the door behind him, the piece of wood shaking violently, mimicking the hurt Sebastian felt inside.

* * *

Sebastian slumped into the couch, his vision slightly blurry as he stared absentmindedly at the screen of his laptop on the coffee table. In his right hand he held an almost empty bottle of 50 year old Balvanie and in the other sat a clean glass that said liquor should have been poured into, but never quite made it there. Instead, the expensive whiskey had been sipped directly from the newly opened bottle, something the refined man never did, however, couldn't seem to bring himself to care about that at the moment.

He had sat there for what seemed like hours and it probably was, since the entire liter was almost gone and it was close to midnight now. His mind had been a flurry of activity since his argument with Ciel and the only way to calm such thoughts was with the alcohol that flowed through his system now; dulling his senses and easing the stress.

There had to be a way to help Ciel in dealing with what had happened to him and Sebastian was at the end of his rope, having run out of ideas about what to do. The young man needed professional help, but refused to admit it; instead insisting that he was fine and just needed to be allowed to move on. However, Sebastian knew it wasn't so and he racked his brain to think of a new way of convincing him otherwise.

"Damn you, Faustus." He growled lowly as he thought about all the pain and suffering the London VP had caused him and Ciel. Lifting the bottle to his lips, Sebastian swallowed the last of it in one gulp, hissing as the liquid burned its way down his throat. "Hope you rot in hell, you fucking bastard." He cursed, slamming the empty bottle down on top of a newspaper on the table.

Placing his elbows on his knees, he leaned forward, groaning into the palms as he rubbed his face. Sebastian cursed inwardly as the idea of Claude getting away with raping Ciel came to the forefront of his thoughts. It wasn't right; the man should be made to pay for what he had done; for the strife his inexcusable actions had caused everyone associated with Ciel.

Rubbing his tired eyes, he glanced down at his laptop, his sight attempting to focus on the screen before flicking to a copy of the Wall Street Journal he had thunked the glass bottle on only moments before. He froze and an eyebrow arched in interest at a particular article; reaching over, Sebastian picked up the page and began to skim the print as best he could in his inebriated state:

_A new business venture is being sought by Soma Asman Kadar, eldest son to King Kumar Hassem Kadar of Bengal, in Abu Dhabi. The 26 year old prince is attempting to make his mark alongside his father in the oil industry by creating a subsidiary of Kumar Oil and Drilling Inc. The new project will address drilling in the more remote areas of the Middle East in search of smaller oil wells that have yet to be discovered._

_After Kadar's first business, Kadar Industries went bankrupt due to a lack of liquid funds, the business world wondered if they had seen the last of the oil magnate's son. However, it seems that the young man will not be deterred by past failures and instead is looking ahead to a brighter and more productive future._

" _Kadar Industries was brilliant idea." Kadar had stated in a previous interview. "But without the proper amount of cash, the company was doomed to fail. We thought there was a substantial amount available at our disposal, however, when the time came to use it, which was not the case unfortunately."_

_"With this next business, I plan to erase the embarrassment of my past inadequacy and bring honor back to the Kadar name. We will start the appropriate amount of funds . . ."_

Sebastian stopped reading, his mind recalling the paperwork from not so long ago that he held his hands; Kadar Industries in yellow highlighted text. Soma Kadar had been one of the clients who had left FPE because of Claude's embezzlement of funds. A plan slowly began to form in the former executive's mind; a slow smile starting to spread across his face as a loud crying sound tore him from his thoughts.

Lurching off the couch and almost colliding with the floor as the room spun, Sebastian dashed to the master bedroom. Swinging the door open, he blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted from light to dark and listening to the unmistakable sounds of Ciel's nightmare. The young man whimpered and moaned, chest heaving as he fought to breathe while his body tossed and turned beneath the sheets.

In less than a second, Sebastian was on the bed, his long arms reaching underneath the shaking shoulders and pulling Ciel up into his lap. Slender legs flanked his thighs as the young man instinctively wrapped his arms around his lover's neck, pulling himself tightly into the strong chest.

"Shhhh, it's ok." He whispered, one hand cradling the back of the slate colored head to his shoulder. "Wake up, Ciel. You're fine." Sebastian kissed his temple as the heavy sobs forced him awake.

"Seba . . . Sebastian?" Ciel choked out, coughing loudly as he struggled for air. He whimpered quietly as the warm embrace tightened around his body, his small form shaking uncontrollably from fear. "Y-you can't-t leave m-me. Not a-again." He moaned, burying his face into the broad shoulder and pushing himself harder into the firm chest.

"I know, I'm sorry." Sebastian apologized, squeezing his eyes shut as guilt washed over him. "I lost my temper. That's all." He assured, placing another light kiss to the small cheek. Ciel whined in response, the panic beginning to leave him in the older male's comforting presence.

Innocently, Ciel shifted his weight in Sebastian's lap, a move that had his inner thigh grinding into the former executive's length. A sharp intake of breath was heard as the action caused a pleasant sensation to run through the long ignored groin and Sebastian buried his head into the crook of Ciel's neck.

"You need to stop struggling." He breathed; head fuzzy from the alcohol. Ciel squirmed some more, earning another long groan from the friction. "You have no idea what you're doing right now." He confessed quietly, screwing his eyes shut in an attempt to calm the growing heat between his legs.

It felt so good though; Sebastian hadn't touched himself in weeks as he had been too preoccupied with taking care of his recovering lover. He hadn't even had the urge, but now as he sat in his bedroom with Ciel straddling his hips, panting heavily and unintentionally grinding the lithe body against his own, he felt a surge of desire and lust. Those actions coupled with vast amount of drink he had consumed over a few short hours and the man was a prime candidate for giving into his primal needs at the moment.

Ciel shook his head and wrapped his legs more firmly around the toned waist. "No, no," he argued, "hold me. Don't let me go." His soft pout coming to rest on the juncture of Sebastian's, small hot breaths ghosting over the already over sensitized skin.

Sebastian let out a quiet hiss as Ciel licked his lips, the tip of his tongue lapping against the tensed tendons of the older male's throat. His willpower was quickly dissipating as each tiny movement made sent electric sparks of desire through him. Sebastian battled with himself; knowing that Ciel wasn't emotionally or mentally ready to be intimate yet and the need to quell the heat that was beginning to coil in his belly was intensifying with each passing second. In that defining moment, Ciel made the decision for him.

"Sebastian, please." He whispered softly, his naivety sealing his fate. "Hold me closer." He begged, his fleshy rump grinding down and directly on top of the clothed erection. Red eyes rolled into the back of Sebastian's head and he groaned loudly before he snapped.

Instantly, Ciel was on his back, body pressed violently into the mattress and arms pinned to his sides by Sebastian who crawled on top of him. He ignored the startled yelp as he straddled the young man; one leg placed between the slender thighs as his arousal dug into the slim muscle. Pulling Ciel flush with his chest, Sebastian began to gyrate rhythmically, the friction caused by his humping making him shiver with delight.

"Oh, baby." He moaned deeply as he quickly enveloped Ciel's lips with his own, swallowing the small cries of protest. Sebastian's warm tongue slipped past the parted lips, rolling into the small cavern and he groaned at the taste before breaking the kiss with a wet pop. "I want you." He whispered momentarily before sucking on the plump lower lip again.

Ciel wiggled and twisted beneath Sebastian's grasp at first, his one eye wide with fright as his restrained limbs white knuckled the sheets below. In the back of his mind, he heard a small voice that told him that he shouldn't be reacting like this; this was Sebastian, not Claude. These touches and caresses should feel good, that Sebastian cared for him and loved him, but it didn't matter. Fear was the only emotion Ciel could process and his body fought back in the same way any defenseless animal would; he froze.

He felt Sebastian's hips push onto him with more force as he listened to the man grunt and groan from pleasure at using his body. Ciel lay there, cold and stiff, his eye wide as it stared up at the ceiling; counting the seconds in his head until it was all over. When Sebastian released his swollen mouth in favor of sucking on the delicate throat, he quickly turned his head to the side and bit into his lip to keep from screaming, the blue orb now screwed tightly shut so he wouldn't have to see anymore.

"God, you taste so good." Sebastian breathed against his neck, licking and sucking hard as he felt his release approach. "So . . .mmnnn . . . Ciel." He groaned loudly.

Sebastian was close now, thrusts becoming uneven as he was lost in the pleasurable sensations. Precum dampened his sweat pants, making the material cling to him and the turgid flesh throbbed every time it was pressed into Ciel's thigh, the heat building with the promise of falling over that blissful edge.

He breathed in deeply, relishing the scent that was uniquely Ciel; crimson eyes closed in ecstasy. Moaning, he moved a hand down to stroke his lover's length; wanting to share the moment and make it intimate. Sebastian's eyes flew wide open in shock by what he felt; nothing.

Ciel was not aroused in the slightest. Where usually there would be a hardened mass of aching want and desire, there was now only a soft lump; uninterested and unresponsive. A clear sign that the only person enjoying the activities was Sebastian.

His gaze moved to Ciel's face and he immediately pushed himself off the small form, rocking back onto his heels to sit up. Horror and remorse washed over him as he watched the trembling body shake and tense on the bed, his arousal and impending orgasm quickly dissipating at the sight before him.

Ciel's fists were clenched tightly at his sides, nails digging violently into the sheets as his entire body shivered from fear. Tendons could be easily seen in the small throat, pulled taut under the pale skin by the intense gritting of the young man's teeth. Rapid breaths were being inhaled and exhaled through his nose and his eye was screwed shut so forcefully that the thin eyebrows furrowed as if in deep concentration.

Sebastian didn't know what to do or say and he buried his face in his palms when he realized that he had been the cause of such an extreme physical reaction. Rubbing his eyes and shaking his head in an attempt to clear away some of the fuzziness from the whisky, he took some deep breaths before speaking.

"Ciel?" He whispered softly. "Ciel, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Sebastian cringed at how weak and dispassionate his excuse sounded. He wanted to embrace the young man and help soothe away the fear he had caused, yet, one look at the rigid body told him that being touched was the last thing Ciel wanted.

Sighing loudly, Sebastian crawled over to his side of the bed and lay on his side to face Ciel, red eyes carefully watching over him. In time the ragged breaths slowed and the tension began to leave Ciel's body. Eventually a soft snore slipped past his lips and the former executive knew he had finally fallen asleep again.

Seeing Ciel at rest, Sebastian allowed his own tired body to relax while still keeping his distance from him in the giant bed. However, at some point in the night he awoke to find Ciel had snuggled up him, the small hands clutching the soft t-shirt and head resting comfortably on the older male's bicep.

Sebastian glanced down, surprised to see Ciel so close and calm, his breathing even as he mumbled something incoherently in his slumber. Smiling, he placed a light kiss to the crown of the slate colored head and draped his other arm over the slim waist, pulling Ciel closer and accepting the unconscious act of temporary forgiveness bestowed upon him for earlier.

* * *

Late morning light crept across the room and over Sebastian's lidded eyes, the brightness forcing them open and then quickly closing again as he groaned in pain. Throwing a long arm over his face, he tried to block out the annoying light that only exacerbated the pulsing headache beating heavily behind his eyes. Rule Number One: Never consume an entire bottle of liquor in one sitting; the headache the next morning was just not worth it.

Rolling over, he reached out to grab a hold of Ciel, but quickly realized that the small body was nowhere to be found in the bed. Slowly, bleary red eyes were opened again and he looked around the room; searching. After what happened last night, he wouldn't blame the young man for not wanting to see him this morning.

The sound of water running in the bathroom alerted Sebastian of Ciel's whereabouts and he groaned again as he forced himself to sit upright. A large hand quickly slapped itself onto his forehead as the room spun and his stomach lurched with a wave of nausea. Rule Number Two: Never consume an entire bottle of liquor in one sitting on an empty stomach; the gut rot the next morning was not worth it.

"Hey." A soft voice spoke to his right and he glanced over to see Ciel padding over to him with a glass of water in one hand. "Here. Take these." He instructed, giving Sebastian the liquid and two small white tablets. "They'll help."

Sebastian did as he was told and downed the water and medication, suddenly feeling incredibly thirsty. He placed the glass on the nightstand when he finished and then flopped back onto the pillows, moaning in discomfort. Ciel crawled up on the bed next to the older male, crossing his legs to sit beside him and getting comfortable.

"Sebastian?" He asked quietly, nibbling on his lower lip nervously. Red eyes glanced over to see the apprehensive expression on Ciel's face as he fidgeted with his fingers. Sebastian couldn't stand seeing the young man look at him this way, as if he were some dangerous animal that Ciel needed to be cautious of pouncing on him at any time.

"Ciel, don't." He interrupted, blue eye widening curiously. "Don't apologize for last night. It was my fault." Sebastian choked out, voice thick with emotion. Just the idea of almost having hurt him was too painful to bear. "I had too much to drink and I know that doesn't excuse my behavior, but I-" He was silenced as Ciel pressed an index finger to his lips.

"I know. I saw the bottle." He explained calmly. "And even though you can't justify what you did with just that, it doesn't change the fact that you still came for me when I called for you." Ciel's lower lip trembled as he blinked away the wetness that was starting to cling to his lashes. "You had every right to leave me alone in my panic and fear; let me be swallowed up by the demons that visit my dreams every night, but you didn't. Even dead drunk, you heard me and you came for me, Sebastian." The small shoulders shuddered as a tear slid down his cheek, a shaky breath released as the young man looked away.

Cautiously, long fingers reached up and cupped the small cheek, turning his lover's face back to him as a thumb wiped away the salty liquid. Ciel sniffled a bit and swallowed hard as he looked at the soft smile that played out on Sebastian's face. He shook his head, letting the hand drop away before picking up where he left off.

"You've done so much for me, Sebastian. More than anyone should ever have to for someone else." He stated, swallowing more tears. "And last night, I mean, I don't blame you for wanting to, you know." Ciel blushed before taking a deep breath and straightening his shoulders. Staring directly at Sebastian, "What I mean to say is, you can use my body to satisfy your sexual needs." Pressing his finger even more firmly against his lover's lips, "I want you to have me. It's the least I can do after everything." The last part fading out as he pulled his hand back into his lap.

Sebastian gaped at him, eyes wide as he tried to come up with an appropriate response. Ciel's offer still rung in his ears and he struggled to make sense of it. He didn't want the young man to feel obligated to satisfy his desires, no; he wanted Ciel to want him; to hear him cry out in the throes of passion as Sebastian made love to him; to feel that blissful moment when two bodies connected and became one single being for a split second. The memory of Ciel's reaction to his touches last night flashed back in his mind and he shook his head to rid the image of it.

"Ciel, come here." Sebastian commanded gently, pulling the small body close to him. Ciel complied and lay his head on a broad shoulder, curling up against the strong body as long fingers stroked the slate bangs out of his eye. "I don't want that. I want you to enjoy sex; enjoy it with me." He explained and he felt Ciel shiver slightly at the admission. "And until you're ready to, I promise you that I will not put anything of that nature in front of you again. Alright?"

He nodded and Sebastian chuckled at the way Ciel cuddled closer, his thin arm wrapping over the toned waist as he yawned. Closing his eyes, the former executive welcomed sleep and the relief it would bring him from his raging hangover. Listening to each other's even breathing the two fell asleep, wrapped in one another's arms; safe and content for now.


	29. Chapter 29

Sebastian Michaelis was an intelligent man; there was no disputing that fact. At the tender age of 32, he had been in his position of Vice President of the New York office at FPE for already over a year. Before that, the financial prodigy had quickly worked his way up in several financial firms throughout Manhattan and even though Sebastian had always been a hard worker, he never credited the success to his superb intellect or stellar work ethic. Instead, the former executive knew exactly what skill had taken him so far in his career; his ability to read people and figure out what they wanted.

As a teenager, Sebastian had been quite popular, his polite nature and natural good looks never leaving him alone for too long or left wanting for attention. However, it was in college that he began to realize the power behind his innate talent and it became his trump card from that day forward. His strategy was a simple one; find out what someone wants or needs and then let them know you can provide whatever it may be. The tricky part was finding out what the other party was truly after, not just what they said they were interested in and it was in this that Sebastian excelled.

Such an insight into other people's desires opened doors for the determined man and pushed him even further in his career than he had ever dreamed possible, and there were very few who the devilishly striking professional could not manipulate in one way or another to his advantage. Unfortunately, one of those people was none other than Ciel Phantomhive and try as he might, Sebastian could never quite seem to get a hold on what the young man was actually thinking or exactly wanted.

Maybe it was because in the three decades of being on this earth, he had never met another person who was so pure in their intent as Ciel. He never had an ulterior motive to things; he was honest and forthright, compassionate and caring, so it never occurred to Sebastian to just take his actions at face value instead of searching for some sort of underlying intent to his behavior.

That is until a little over a month ago, when their world was turned upside down and inside out by Claude Faustus. Now, the young man who used to wear his heart on his sleeve was reduced to frenzied mess of erratic emotions and mental instability; his true feelings hidden deep beneath his scarred psyche.

Instead of trying to peel away at the tangled layers of Ciel's mind, which had proven futile up to this point, Sebastian had decided to focus his energy on another looming issue; something he could exert his influence upon. The former executive was going to use his talent to find a way to make Claude pay for what he had done.

Sebastian had a plan; an idea that had begun forming a few weeks ago when he had decided that it was a good idea to down an entire bottle of whiskey in one sitting. The consequences that had followed were embarrassing, to say the least, and he still wasn't completely convinced that Ciel had forgiven him. However, something positive did come out of that evening; an opening for revenge.

It had dawned on him suddenly while skimming the article from the Wall Street Journal that he may not be the only one who would like to see the London VP broken and bleeding on the floor. No, it was obvious that Claude had made many, many enemies over the years and one of his more recent ones might actually be the key to the vindication Sebastian sought for Ciel. It was with this concept in mind that he had started the ball rolling on his plan; and it all began with a simple email to Soma Asman Kadar.

* * *

Sheets rustled around as Ciel tried to bury himself deeper under the covers. He squirmed and fidgeted, not wanting to open his eye knowing that if that happened, he would be fully awake and it was still pitch black outside. Grumbling quietly, he decided to roll his way over to Sebastian's side of the bed in the hopes that he would cuddle him for a bit until he fell fully back asleep.

Since their argument about having Ciel see a therapist a little while ago, the older male had only brought the suggestion up again once or twice. However, he dropped the subject quickly when Ciel began to protest; not wanting a repeat of anything that could lead to another drunken lust-filled pouncing incident again.

Sebastian had stayed true to his word about not confronting Ciel with anything that could be considered even remotely sexual. In fact, he was beginning to wonder if the man was considering joining the priesthood, what with the way he seemed to be ignoring his own wants and needs in favor of having the young man feel less threatened. The idea that Sebastian was denying himself pleasure just for Ciel's sake made him feel incredibly guilty and he tried not to think about it more than necessary.

Sighing, Ciel shuffled his way to the other side of the massive bed, knowing that any second he would bump into a snoozing Sebastian. Unfortunately, the only thing he bumped into was thin air, eye flying wide open finally when he realized there was nobody in the bed with him. His hand felt around the spot where Sebastian usually slept and there was nothing, but cool sheets; an indicator that he had been alone for a while already.

Bolting upright, Ciel nervously glanced around the dark room, doing his best not panic from the reality that he was all by himself. His sight quickly landed on the bathroom door, noticing a small amount illumination that peeked out from the side of the frame. Relief flooded through him as it became apparent that this is where Sebastian was and Ciel berated himself mentally for being so easily frightened for no reason.

Just as he was about to lay back down a muffled groaning noise caught his attention and Ciel halted his actions in pulling the covers over his body to stare at the bathroom again. Another muted grunting sound emanated from there and the young man now was becoming concerned. What if Sebastian was sick? What if he had fallen and hit his head on the tile? Images of what if's and maybe's filled Ciel's mind and before he knew it, he had launched from the mattress and was standing with his fingers curled around the door knob leading to the master bath.

Taking a deep breath, Ciel willed himself to calm down before entering the bathroom. He didn't want to go bursting in like a raging bull and scare Sebastian half to death if the man wasn't hurt. Instead, he slowly and quietly pushed the door inward, taking a few steps into the brightly lit room before stopping dead in his tracks; breath hitching in his throat from what he saw.

Sebastian stood facing the vanity, back turned to Ciel with not a stitch of clothing covering his body. One hand gripped the edge of the marble sink while the other jerked in a rapid and rhythmic motion, the slender muscles in the strong back flexing in succession with the movements. The man panted heavily and grunted as he rolled his naked hips forward, the toned ass clenching as he thrust his entire lower body into his palm.

"Ahh, God." Sebastian hissed, his breathing becoming ragged as he continued to roughly stroke his rigid member. A low moan left his lips as he thumbed the slit, spreading more pre-cum over the already lubed shaft. "F-fuck . . . nmmmm . . . ahhh." He panted.

Ciel just stood and watched, too shocked to move or make a noise, listening to the wanton moans and the slapping sound of skin as Sebastian beat himself off just a few feet away. His eye traveled over the well maintained body, from the muscular shoulders down to the strong hamstrings that were pulled taut on the slender thighs. He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly very dry. Ciel had seen Sebastian naked countless of times, heard that deep tenor moan in ecstasy and watched the powerful man come undone in a multitude of ways, but never before had he been witness to the primal act that was taking place now.

As he watched the former executive threw back his head and release a deep growl and Ciel knew he was close to climaxing. Sebastian was about to fall off the edge of want and need into pure bliss and all without the young man being there to participate along the way. The fact depressed Ciel more than he thought it should and he bit into his lower lip to keep from whimpering and distracting Sebastian from reaching his goal.

"Ciel, ahhhh, baby." He cried out, eyes screwed tightly shut and ebony hair damp with sweat as he came, his seed spurting into the cold marble sink. The large hand continued to pump forcefully as Sebastian rode out his orgasm, knees and hips trembling from the sensations. "Damn." He cursed as he bent over the sink to wash away the mess.

Grabbing a hand towel, Sebastian whirled around on his heel to exit the bathroom when red eyes locked onto the figure in the doorway. His face blanched of all color as he took in the almost terrified expression on Ciel's face, the one blue eye wide with some unknown emotion. He took a small step forward before rushing over as the young man crumpled into a heap on the tile.

"Ciel!" Sebastian almost shouted; worry creasing his face as he kneeled next to trembling form. Tentatively, long fingers reached out to touch a shuddering shoulder, earning him an irritated glare. Withdrawing his hand, Sebastian leaned back slightly. "Ciel, I'm sorry. You shouldn't have seen that, I-"

"Don't touch me." Ciel hissed, jaw clenched in anger. His thin arms wrapped around his knees, pulling them close to his chest as he seethed. "How long have you been doing this?" A hand motioned around the room. "In here, alone."

Sebastian blinked, confused as to why Ciel was more upset than frightened by what he had stumbled in on. "Every night, almost. Sometimes twice, it just depends." He answered calmly, deciding that honesty was the best way to go right now. "Just while you're asleep though."

"So, you go off and skulk away into the bathroom like some sort of pervert?" Ciel was shaking, although he had no idea why he was so upset. He had been feeling guilty about not being able to have sex with Sebastian so it only made sense that the man would find another outlet such as self-gratification. However, the thought of his lover finding such bliss with his own hand and not him made Ciel furious and he lashed out. "Do you fantasize about me? Hmm? Think about all the things you want to do to me, but can't anymore?" His voice rose with each syllable, feeling that he might actually explode from the sick emotions coursing through his body.

Sebastian gave him a blank look, red eyes tired and perplexed by the outburst. "Well, what do you expect me to do, Ciel?" His tone coming out harsher than intended. "I told you that I wouldn't expose you to anything sexual until you were ready." Lips pursed as he tried desperately to figure out what the concealed issue was, at a loss once again when it came to figuring out what Ciel wanted from him.

"Oh, and I bet you just can't wait for that day!" He snapped, angry tremors racking his entire frame. "Then you can finally take what you want so badly instead of settling for your hand!" He screamed, quickly getting up and turning to leave the bathroom. Strong fingers gripped harshly into the young man's elbow, whirling him back around. "Let go of me, God dammit!" He yelled back.

Sebastian had reached his limit; patience was a virtue, but he had run out of that a long time ago. "No! Don't stand there and make me out to be a monster just because I still have needs." He barked firmly as Ciel struggled to get away, blue eye glaring daggers at him. "You on the other hand, can't even let me kiss you without having a panic attack, let alone touch you. It's not normal!" He accused, grabbing the young man's other arm and giving the body a rough shake. "You keep insisting that you are fine and don't need any help coping with what happened, but look at you! You're an absolute mess!"

"I am not a mess! I'm fine!" Ciel screamed back, hot tears starting to run down the side of his face as he tried in vain to free himself. "You just can't control yourself! What happens when your hand just isn't enough anymore? Are you going to take me whether I want to or not? Get drunk first or will you just beat and fuck me like Claude!"

Sebastian's expression darkened instantly, crimson eyes bright with rage as his jaw clenched at the statement. "What the fuck?" He breathed and Ciel trembled with fear at the fury rolling off in waves from the older male's body. "I would never do that, Ciel! I could never go through with forcing myself on you, no matter how much I want it, so don't you ever compare me to that soulless bastard. Do you understand?" Sebastian let out a heavy breath, willing himself to calm down before addressing the Ciel again. "I couldn't live with myself if I did something like. As it is now, I can barely live with that fact that I let someone else do it to you."

Ciel froze, the words bouncing around in his head as he tried to absorb the full meaning. Sebastian blamed himself for what Claude had done and he was the one who had let him feel that way. Looking up, he took in the worry and anger that now marred the handsome face and it made him feel sick to his stomach.

He could feel the blood rushing in his ears as everything blurred momentarily before his knees gave out. Long arms shooting out just in time to keep the frail body from crashing onto the hard tile. Ciel slumped into Sebastian's embrace, letting himself be lowered to the ground..

Sebastian pulled the limp frame into his lap, laying the side of Ciel's head in the juncture of his neck while he draped the slim legs over one of his thighs. He sighed heavily, emotionally and mentally drained, the young man's volatile behavior worrisome and exhausting all at the same time. Small hands curled themselves onto the bare chest and Ciel closed his eye, listening to the strong beat of Sebastian's heart underneath his ear.

"Sebastian, what's wrong with me?" He whispered, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore. It's like I can't control what I'm feeling or what I say or think. I've lost my mind." Ciel whimpered, guilt overwhelming his senses.

"You're not crazy." Sebastian confirmed. "You just aren't able to deal with all this by yourself." He soothed, lips lightly kissing the top of the slate head, fingers softly running through the silky locks.

"It's not your fault, you know." Ciel assured softly. "You can't blame yourself for something you didn't have any control over." He explained, hoping to comfort him a little.

"I know that, but I still can't help thinking if only I had gotten there a little earlier that I could have prevented it." Sebastian admitted. "And for the record, yes, I do think about you when I'm alone at night, but I wouldn't do anything to you until you asked me to." He reinforced firmly.

"What do you think about doing? With me, I mean, when you're alone." Ciel asked nervously, not being able to help himself from being curious about Sebastian's previous confession. Lifting his head to gaze up into his lover's eyes, he searched the crimson orbs filled with understanding.

"Are you sure you really want to know?" Ciel nodded and Sebastian sighed loudly. "I think about holding you like I used to; taking you in my arms and making love to you past the point of exhaustion. I remember how sweet you would sound when you cried out my name as you came; the taste of your lips as I kissed you breathless, still begging for more. How it felt to pour my entire heart soul into you, to become one with you, Ciel." The overly romantic, but brutally honest statement had him blushing and he buried his face into the firm chest to hide.

Ciel hummed at the thought of being loved and caressed by Sebastian, finding the idea comforting instead of frightening for once. Something had to give, he knew that now. He couldn't keep going the way he had been; being a slave to his manic emotions, but it wasn't just about him any more either. Sebastian had intertwined their lives and what hurt Ciel in turn hurt him and if the young man truly loved him then he needed step up and do something to correct the situation.

Nibbling on his lowering lip nervously, "Ok, I guess I can go see someone about getting some help for your sake." He conceded, watching the look of surprise come over the man's face before pouting. "Really? Is it that shocking that I would think of someone besides myself for a change?" Ciel huffed as Sebastian chuckled.

"Not really." He teased, hugging him close. "Just lately, you've seemed a little more self-involved than usual, but that's alright." Sebastian added quickly after receiving an annoyed glare. "If I knew that all it would take to get you to agree to see a therapist was walking in on me jerking off, I would have done it sooner." He chuckled again as he attempted to avoid the swat aimed for his head.

Grunting, Sebastian carefully stood up, cradling Ciel in his arms while walking back to the bedroom. After placing the young man on the bed, he returned to the bathroom to shut off the light and gather his boxer briefs, pulling them on before slipping under the warm covers. Ciel had already burrowed himself into the duvet; the only thing visible now was the top of his head and a blue eye as he watched Sebastian settle down for the rest of the night.

"I'll go with you." Sebastian spoke into the darkness after some silence. "To see the therapist, I mean." He rolled over onto his side to look into the sleepy eye. Pushing the covers away from the to see him more clearly, "I'll be there the entire time, Ciel." He whispered, gently running his knuckles along the side of the small face.

Ciel swallowed hard and nodded; his nervousness evident. He was going to go through with this, if not for him then for Sebastian. He didn't want to make him suffer any more at his expense than he already had.

Silently, Ciel moved over to place his head on Sebastian's chest, his slender arms wrapping around the man's torso and pulling himself closer into the warmth and protection the larger body offered. He sighed as strong limbs embraced him and he fell into a peaceful sleep thinking about how tomorrow would be a better day for the both of them.

* * *

A week later, Ciel found himself sitting into the small waiting room of the therapist's office. He grimaced as he took in the drab décor; dull colored wallpaper lined the room on all four sides, no decorative art to speak of. The young man sat on an equally boring couch, staring at the oddly shaped coffee table. If he didn't know any better, Ciel would guess the centerpiece of the room was actually a coffin with a dark colored cloth draped over it, but he let that theory be in favor of trying to figure out what those oddly shaped cookies laid out on a plate in the center were.

"I wouldn't eat that if I were you." Sebastian warned, perched next to Ciel on the couch as he reached out and grabbed the bone shaped item. The man didn't look up from his blackberry as he elaborated, "He's not much of a baker and I can't vouch for how long those have been there." He dropped the cookie and withdrew his hand, slumping back into his seat.

"Are you sure this guy is a professional?" Ciel huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I mean, this place," he waved his hand around, "it's more depressing than a morgue in here. Would it kill him to have a little color?" Sebastian chuckled at the complaint and pocketed his smart phone.

"I told you he was eccentric, but that's just how he operates." Red eyes sparkled with humor at Ciel's rotten mood. The former executive had expected as much from him, since he hadn't wanted to see the Sebastian's old therapist in the first place.

"Please tell me by 'operates' you mean 'functions'." He arched an eyebrow sarcastically. "And not in the literal sense in which the psycho will be harvesting my internal organs once he gets me alone in his office." Ciel jabbed his thumb in the direction of a closed door, glaring at the Sebastian for just smiling at him.

"What? Do you think you're going to come out a kidney lighter?" He teased, lacing their hands together and brushing a light kiss over the back of Ciel's knuckles. He scowled at Sebastian for the statement before relaxing a little at the joke.

"I have no interest in your kidneys," a scratchy voice stated, causing the pair to turn their attention toward the sound. "Now your brain, well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we? Kekekeke." Ciel's jaw dropped as he gaped at the man who approached them; Sebastian standing to give a firm handshake.

The therapist was tall and thin, his slightly loose charcoal gray suit only emphasizing the slender frame underneath. He walked silently, his Oxford shoes unnervingly not making a sound on the wooden floor; as if he glided across the room instead of taking steps. However the thing that caught Ciel's attention wasn't the man's state of dress, but his long silver hair that hung like silky sheets down to the middle of his back and brushed against the lapels of the suit jacket. In Ciel's mind, there was no way he could be the same professional that Sebastian had spoken of using before so many years ago.

"Undertaker." Sebastian greeted, releasing his hold on the other man's hand. "It's been awhile. I see you haven't done much with this place." He commented, crimson eyes glancing around and nodding at the small depressing area.

"Hmmm," The therapist hummed in thought for a moment. "I must say, Sebastian, it was quite a surprise to hear from you the other week. I didn't think you would be in need of another session so soon." Green eyes narrowed behind spectacles and he chuckled. "But then again, time is the wisest counselor of all, isn't it?"

"It certainly is." Sebastian replied, clearing his throat and taking a step back. "However, that's not why I am here today. I have someone who would like to speak with you for a bit." He explained, turning to motion at the still shocked young man on the couch. "Ciel, this is Undertaker, my therapist." The silver haired man leaned over to have a closer look, his face breaking into a wide smile as Ciel shrank into the couch to get away from him.

"Kekekeke, look, Sebastian. He's all frightened like a fragile lamb." The therapist hummed as he took in his new patient. "Hmmm or a pirate." He mused, tapping a long bony finger lightly on the black eye patch. "What happened here?"

"I'm not scared of you!" Ciel snapped, smacking away the intrusive hand and puffing up his chest. "I just don't like freaky strangers all up in my personal space. It's none of your business, so quit touching me and back the hell up!" He ordered, blue eye dark with annoyance. The therapist stepped back and cackled loudly at the command.

"So, angry." He tsked, shaking his head sadly before grinning at again. "It's alright, little earl. We will get to the bottom of whatever is eating up your lovely soul from the inside. Kekekekeke." Ciel glared at the man, his mouth set in a grim line. "Come, come." He confirmed brightly before walking towards the door to his office. "We have much to discuss. This should be a most interesting session." The therapist motioned for him to follow as he disappeared into the other room.

Ciel stared at Sebastian, waiting for the moment he would burst out laughing and tell him that this was all a bad joke; that the real therapist had been delayed in transit and would be there shortly. However, much to his dismay, the former executive stood calm and relaxed across the room, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Jumping up and striding over, Ciel grabbed roughly a hold of the tall man's shirt. "I am not going anywhere with that lunatic!" He hissed through his teeth, body almost flush with Sebastian's as he glared up. "How the hell do you even know him? And what kind of name is Undertaker anyways? Is he even an actual therapist? What are his credentials?" Crimson eyes watched with amusement as Ciel ranted his displeasure about the professional and trying not to laugh at the childish outburst.

Sebastian cupped the irate face in his hands, forcing him to quiet down. "Ciel, I know he seems a bit odd," a low snort in response made him chuckle, "but for all his unorthodox methods, he is an excellent therapist. Do you really think that I would take you to just anyone? I brought you here because he is the best and he can help you." He said softly, placing a light kiss onto the young man's forehead.

Ciel grumbled quietly as he closed his eye, shivering slightly from the comforting contact of Sebastian's lips on his skin. "Fine." He caved in, looking up again. "But you're coming in there with me. I'm not talking to that loon all by myself."

"Ah-ah, you are actually, little earl." The therapist corrected, leaning against the door frame smiling. "I need to get to know you one on one in the beginning." Ciel opened his mouth to protest, but was cut short by the man. "It's either that or nothing at all." He giggled as he waited for a reaction to the ultimatum.

He gaped at Sebastian who just sighed and turned to look at the therapist. "Alright, Undertaker." He agreed before narrowing his eyes at the man. "But only for one hour. Anything over that and I must be present, are we clear?" The older male's voice authoritative and serious.

"Ahhh, Sebastian." He sighed, the sound of reminiscence in his raspy voice. "How I have missed you and your extreme control issues." He giggled. "Don't worry, your turn will come later." Winking at the older male before stepping aside, motioning with a hand for Ciel to come over.

Taking a quick glance at Sebastian, Ciel sighed and plodded across the room to the bizarre therapist waiting by the entrance to his office. As he passed, he mumbled under his breath something about his body being found in a ditch and organs sold on the black market and the silver haired man laughed out loud at the statement.

"I already told you. I'm not interested in any of your pretty innards." Undertaker soothed, following behind the disgruntled young man. "But if you insist on talking about them so much, I might get curious and need to see what the fuss is all about." A loud laugh was the last thing Sebastian heard before the door slammed shut.

* * *

Sebastian sighed, knowing that he was going to hear Ciel complain about his choice of therapist again later. It was true that Undertaker was a bit odd, for lack of a better word, but the man was fantastic at his job and had been a great help to him a while back when he had been dealing with several heavy issues of his own. However, more than anything, he trusted that the professional could help Ciel and in the end, the young man's mental well-being and happiness was all that mattered to him.

A vibrating feeling in his pocket alerted Sebastian that he was receiving a call and he pulled the device out to have a look. He furrowed his brow at the unknown international number; all his contacts were programmed into his phone so it was a mystery why anyone he didn't know would be calling him. However, he really didn't have anything to do for the next hour, but wait for Ciel and decided to answer.

'Hello?' Sebastian asked, striding across the waiting room to have a seat on couch.

'Mr. Michaelis?' A deep voice with a heavy accent asked on the other end.

'Speaking. And whom may I ask is calling?' He inquired, body still tense as he awaited an answer from the mysterious caller.

'Ahhh, Mister Michaelis. First allow me to apologize for us meeting on such informal terms.' The man stated graciously. 'It is not the way we usually do things in my country; however, considering the nature of the matter in which you contacted my master, it could not be helped.' Sebastian waited patiently for the man to continue. 'I am Agni, Prince Soma Kadar's right hand man, if you will.'

Sebastian closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, while slumping back into the couch; everything was making sense now. He had emailed the young prince with an offer to help him rebuild his family's honor in exchange for assisting him in the small task of exacting revenge on the same person who was the cause of both their suffering. The fact that the he was receiving a call from an unidentified number and by someone other than the noble himself should not have been a surprise, especially considering the contents of the previous sent email.

'Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mister Agni.' He responded dryly. 'Since you are calling me, am I to assume that your master, as you address him, is interested in further discussing what I have proposed?'

'Yes, you assume correctly.' Agni hummed. 'My master, is very much willing to negotiate the terms of your proposal to see that both parties are satisfied in the end. Restoring his honor in the eyes of not only his father, but also the industry is of the utmost importance to him.' The was a momentary pause. 'However, my master is curious to know how you plan to do this. Anyone who could accomplish such a difficult thing would have his undying gratitude.'

Sebastian hummed with delight at finally having gotten somewhere in the conversation. 'You can tell your master, Mister Agni, that I can restore his image by proving that his quote-unquote failure was not his doing.' A small smirk played on his lips, the experience from years of working in business dealings telling the former executive that he had presented the information perfectly. 'I will give him this information if he upholds his end of the agreement.'

'Hmmm, that is a very fair deal, Mister Michaelis. If what you say is true, then you indeed have quite a bit of useful information that my master would most definitely be interested in acquiring.' Agni hummed in thought. 'I will discuss this with him further and we will be in touch.'

'Thank you, Mister Agni. I look forward to speaking with you in the near future.' Sebastian stated before ending the phone call with a polite 'goodbye'.

Placing the smartphone back in his pocket, Sebastian groaned quietly as he closed his eyes. This is what he had been waiting for; an interest to be taken by a third party to bring down Claude and now that he had Prince Soma's attention, it was only a matter of time before he got what he was after. A small smile spread over his face as he thought about all the ways he would make his former colleague pay for what he had done to Ciel.

Turning his head to the side, Sebastian stared at the closed door to Undertaker's office. The young man had been in there for about half an hour now and he was curious as to what was being discussed. A thought struck Sebastian and he frowned as he remembered the therapist telling him that his turn would come later before beginning his hour with Ciel. He pursed his lips in deep thought as he tried to figure out why the hell Undertaker would think he needed therapy too.


	30. Chapter 30

"Now, why don't you tell me why you're here, little earl." Undertaker requested politely, leaning back in his office chair and placing his shoes on top of the old wooden desk. Long fingers steepled over thin lips as a small grin peeked from behind the digits.

Ciel huffed as he slumped back into the loveseat of the therapist's office; the small space no better decorated than the waiting area had been. His eye wandered around the drab surroundings before coming back to the man across from him and he scowled disapprovingly at the amusement in those green eyes.

"Sebastian made me come to you." He shrugged, glancing to the [diplomas](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8606557/30/) that looked to be authentic hanging on the wall. "Believe me, it was not my choice to be locked up in a room with some stranger for an hour a couple times a month." A low chuckle pulled his attention back and he glared at the man. "What's so funny?"

Undertaker smiled widely, "Of course Sebastian made you come here." He stated, motioning with a hand in the air. "You have made it very obvious by your body language and attitude that you would rather be somewhere else entirely." Dropping his long legs to the ground, he leaned forward in his seat. "But I also know that Sebastian wouldn't have called me if it weren't important. So why don't you just humor him and tell me why he thinks you need help, little earl?"

"Stop calling me that!" Ciel snapped back, jaw clenching in annoyance. "Why do you keep saying that anyway?"

Undertaker gave him a bored look. "I like it." Shrugging his shoulders, he raised an eyebrow at his patient. "It suits you. But you're still avoiding the question." He pointed out before leaning back in his chair again and getting comfortable. "The sooner you tell me why you're here, the sooner you can leave and pretend like this entire meeting never happened."

Ciel grumbled under his breath, not being able to argue with the logic of Undertaker's statement. If he wanted to get out of here, then he would just have to suck it up and play along, besides, he had promised Sebastian that he would talk to the therapist. Sighing, Ciel straightened his shoulders, staring directly back at man who seemed so amused by this situation at the moment.

"Alright." He agreed firmly. "I'll tell you." Taking a deep breath, Ciel began from the very beginning. He recalled his first meeting with Sebastian to lusting after him to finally falling in love with the man and having that love returned. Memories flowed freely from his tongue of their breakup; how Sebastian kept the identity of Ciel's father a secret and that being the reason that led to his move to London where he uncovered Claude's fraud.

When Ciel got to the part of about being abused and raped by the London VP, he managed to keep himself together and not fall apart like the last time when he spoke to Detective Aberline; an action he was very proud of. He nervously nibbled on his lower lip as he spoke of how Sebastian took care of him during his recovery and the confrontation with Vincent which pushed to both of them into leaving FPE.

Finally, he informed the therapist of the more recent events, such as the night terrors and how his mood swings and inability to have any intimacy with Sebastian was causing issues. Ciel did, however, leave out the part about Sebastian's drunken dry humping and masturbation episode; instead glossing over them, feeling the need to protect some of his lover's privacy.

When he finished, he averted his eye and blushed a little, embarrassed for having told this complete stranger his life's story over the past year. It seemed odd that all these important events could be boiled down and put together into a small block of under an hour. The thought of something so massive being condensed into something so little shocked him a bit.

Undertaker hummed, green eyes keenly observing every little shift in his patient's body as he spoke. He noticed how the small shoulders would tense at certain parts and how the swell of his cheeks would heat up at the mention of Sebastian. However, the areas of the story that concerned the therapist the most were the ones where there had been no reaction at all; namely, the rape. It was only during that particular part of the conversation that the young man had not shown any emotion whatsoever; his demeanor completely blank.

Tapping his fingertips on the desktop, the therapist cleared his throat. "So, that is how you sustained that injury." He stated more than asked, flicking his index finger up towards Ciel's eye patch. "This man, Claude. He did it to you before he raped you, correct?" Eyes narrowed as he watched the robotic nod that followed the question. "And how do you feel about that?"

"About what?" Ciel inquired calmly, his brow furrowing. "About him damaging my eye? It sucks." He stopped, the statement complete and final, leaving Undertaker to nod slowly at the answer.

"And what would you say to Claude if you ever ran into him again?" The man asked simply, emerald eyes never leaving the blue orb. "Hmmm? If you could say or do anything to the man who did this to you, without fear of consequence, what would you do?" Ciel nibbled on his lip as he thought for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"Nothing." He said firmly and then quickly continuing. "I mean, there is nothing to talk about. It wouldn't change anything; wouldn't give me my eye back or change what happened." Ciel narrowed his eye in annoyance as he watched the Undertaker twirl a piece of silver hair around his finger absentmindedly. "Are you even paying attention to me?" He practically snapped at the therapist who was now gazing at a cobweb in the ceiling corner.

"Of course." Undertaker confirmed, glancing back and smiling. "You just told me that you have absolutely no qualms with the man who victimized you because you would just rather stick your head in the sand instead of dealing with your actual issues." Ciel's jaw dropped and he struggled to breathe at the outrageous allegation.

"N-no, I did-didn't say that." He argued back, protests sounding weak to even his own ears. "I just don't see why I should waste my energy on something that cannot be changed." Ciel managed to get out in a reasonably calm tone.

"That's not what I heard." The therapist debated, getting up and making his way around the desk to stand in front of the young man. Peering through his long bangs at his patient, "You, little earl, don't want to actually deal with what has happened and by putting on a brave face and telling everyone that you can't change the past is just your way of avoiding it." Smirking, he cocked an eyebrow at the now livid blue eye. "Tell me, do you know the number one reason why rape occurs in the first place?"

"I don't know. Sex?" Ciel replied through gritted teeth, his back rigid as he focused all his irritation at the grinning man in front of him. "Lust? Alcohol?" A long finger waved back and forth in the air, physically negating all his answers.

"None of those things, although they all seem like logical reasons." Undertaker smirked, leaning back against the desk and crossing his arms over his chest, head tilting to the side. "Power. It's about power, Ciel." He informed simply, receiving a dumb look in return. Sighing, he elaborated, "Rape is all about one person having dominance over another; bending and using them to how the attacker sees fit. Sometimes the need to overpower is born from a personal vendetta and sometimes it comes from an unrelated issue altogether, but the one thing they all have in common is that one person has complete control over another human being for a determinant amount of time." He stopped, gauging his patient's reaction to the new information.

Ciel's shoulders slumped as the therapist's words began to slowly sink in. He averted his eye to stare at the ground, mulling the new material over in his mind, trying to make sense of the logic piece by piece. After a few minutes he looked back to Undertaker, the man still in the same position Ciel last saw him.

"So," he began carefully, "you're saying that Claude did this because he wanted to have power over me. Which means if I can somehow figure out a way to get some control ba-"

"Oh! Look at that!" The therapist cut in, Ciel almost jumping out of his seat from being jerked out of his self-discovery so violently. "The hour is up! Kekekeke." The man chuckled, a wide grin on his face as he walked towards the door. "We'll talk about this more in depth next week. Same time then?" He asked, placing a hand on the doorknob and waiting for the young man to follow him.

Ciel just gaped, disbelief evident on his face as he tried to absorb what had just happened. He had been on the very brink of figuring something out, so close that he could practically taste it and so important that he would have given his other eye just to know it. Then out of nowhere, his supposed therapist had interrupted his train of thought and it was gone. Realization of just happened swept over the young man and fury suddenly filled him at the situation.

"What the hell was that?" He demanded, jumping off the couch and coming to stand in front of Undertaker. "I was about to figure something out that could have been important and you ruined it!" He glared up at the bizarrely happy man, wondering if he was actually a patient himself who had killed the real therapist and stolen his identity.

"Ahhh, there's the correct emotional response I was looking for." The man grinned with approval, Ciel's face turning bright red as it dawned on him how he had just been manipulated. The therapist laughed out loud as his patient wretched the door opened and proceeded to stomp out into the waiting room.

Sebastian's head snapped up from where he sat on the couch, a confused look spreading over his face as he took in a laughing Undertaker and a very angry Ciel. He watched as the young man strode determinedly towards him, grumbling something under his breath about someone being a whack job. He quirked an eyebrow as Ciel came to stand right in front of him.

"Didn't go well?" Sebastian asked innocently, reaching up to grasp one of Ciel's hands in his own. He sighed as it was quickly swatted away and the rant began.

"That man!" He cried out furiously, finger pointing in the direction of Undertaker who was watching everything from the doorway. "There is something really wrong with him, Sebastian. I mean, I know he helped you in the past, but are you sure he's even a doctor? He could have printed out all those diplomas from the Net. I wouldn't put it past him." A blue eye glared murderously at the man who just laughed at the scene unfolding before him. "See? He's finding all this funny!" Ciel complained. "He find's my pain funny. He's a damn sociopath, Sebastian!"

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Sebastian stood up; placing his hands on Ciel's heaving shoulders. Red eyes gazed calmly into stormy blue and he smiled a little in hopes of soothing the wild beast standing before him, fingers kneading gently into the tense neck muscles of the young man.

"OK, I get it. You don't like him." Sebastian granted, his show of support in Ciel's argument calming his lover some. "Let me talk to him real quick and then we'll get out of here, alright?" A plump lower lip pouted, but he nodded in agreement before shooting the therapist another evil glare. Sighing, Sebastian placed a light kiss to Ciel's forehead and told him to have a seat as he made his way across the room to the grinning man at the door.

* * *

Alois walked; no, skipped down the sidewalk in the Flatiron District, his mind filled with fun facts to know and tell. He flicked through the songs on his iPod before landing on Girls' Generation  _The Boys_ , bopping his blonde head to the beat, happy to have found the track he was looking for. Taking a long sip of his soda, Alois wiped the sweat from his brow, the summer heat draining his usual vibrant energy. However, no matter how hot and humid the city was this afternoon, he could not help, but keep a smile on his face.

There were so many things he was happy about, but the most important being that Ciel was finally seeing a therapist today. Alois didn't know how Sebastian had convinced his best friend to seek professional help, but he was eternally grateful that the man had. Even now as he made his way uptown to Sebastian's condo, he pondered what had happened to make Ciel change his mind when he had been so against therapy in the first place.

Shaking his head, Alois decided he could find that out later, since he was stopping by to see Ciel after the doctor's visit. Instead, the blonde focused on the other thing in his life that put a little more bounce in his step and his heart beat a bit faster these days; Luka.

Alois had been exchanging text messages and phone calls with the sales clerk he had met in London almost since he had left England. The soon-to-be NYU student and he would have hilarious conversations about pretty much anything and everything and Alois found himself looking forward to the random phone calls and funny messages he received. And last night, he had gotten the best news of all; Luka was starting classes next month which means he would be in New York where Alois could see him all the time.

A light blush crept over his face as he continued to make his way into midtown, the thought of seeing Luka again making him nervous and his tummy do flip-flops. It wasn't like Alois to be apprehensive about hanging out with a friend; usually the blonde extrovert would just go with the flow and command that person's undivided attention. However, something about seeing the cute auburn kid from London made his palms sweaty and mouth go dry.

Brushing it off as a side effect to the intense heat, Alois stopped by a Mister Softee truck, rationalizing that some soft serve in a cone would set everything right again. As he licked the sweet cold vanilla treat, his blue eyes caught sight of a little girl peering into a cardboard box and squealing with delight at whatever was inside. Curiosity getting the best of him, Alois wandered over to investigate what was so exciting.

Icy blue eyes lit up as he gazed into the box, a wide grin spreading over his face at the discovery. "This is perfect." He cooed, reaching in to pick out the one that would be best suited as a gift for his friend.

* * *

Undertaker waved Sebastian to have the seat currently occupied by Ciel while closing the door and humming a cheerful tune. Red eyes watched as the therapist casually strolled over to his desk, giving his back a good stretch before finally sitting down and sighing happily as he made himself comfortable.

"So," Sebastian began, earning a wide grin in response. "You and Ciel obviously had an interesting hour together." An eyebrow raised curiously as the man nodded. "Would you like to tell me about it, Undertaker?" He was taken aback as a long finger was wagged back and forth in front of his face.

"Now, Sebastian. You know I'm not allowed to talk about what goes on between doctor and patient. Kekekeke." He chuckled, a low growl emitting from the former VP. "But, since you're here. Why don't we talk a little bit about you, hmmm?" Undertaker offered, placing his palm out face up in an encouraging wave.

"What do you want to know?" He asked cautiously, sitting up in the chair. "Not that much has changed since the last time I saw you." A loud cackling sound ripped through the small office as Undertaker slammed his fists onto the desktop.

Peals of shrieking laughter tore from the therapist's throat as he continued to bang his fists with delight into the wood. Heavy breaths were coughed up as the joke that Sebastian was not privy too continued to rack the slender man's frame as wave after wave of hilarity consumed him. Lifting his silver head, Undertaker sighed and giggled as he wiped what looked to be tears of glee from his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Oh, ha! Kekekeke, that." He attempted before another string of giggles interrupted the statement. "That has to be the funniest thing I have ever heard. Honestly, Sebastian," He chortled. "You really missed your calling in the field of comedy. Ahhhhh-hhhhhaaaaa." He breathed, resting back into his seat and smiling.

Red eyes stared back, a perplexed expression spread over the handsome face as Sebastian tried in vain to figure out what he had said that had been so amusing just now. His past experience with Undertaker had always been out of the ordinary, his methods even bordering on unethical at times; finding amusement and whatnot at inappropriate times during the session. However, he had never before seen the professional come so undone by something he had said.

"Do you care to elaborate on what you found so entertaining at the moment?" Sebastian asked warily, annoyance low in his voice. The therapist gave a final chuckle before folding his hands and gazing knowingly at the man across from him.

"You say nothing has changed, Sebastian, but you obviously have not been paying any attention to yourself since we last met." He began in the same manner one might tell a fairy tale. "Let's see, the last time I saw you, you were getting ready to leave that other financial firm to take the Vice President position at FPE." He recalled, index finger planted on a sharp chin in thought. "And you were single, barring the occasional one-night stands, closeted about your homosexuality and caring for only one thing in this world; power." Sebastian nodded in agreement, the path where the therapist was heading becoming clear now.

"And look at you now!" Undertaker affirmed, pointing at the former executive. "You've put everything you have into your relationship with that young man out there. You went so far as to proclaim your love for Ciel in front of your former boss and then resigned from the position you worked so hard for just so you could be together. You outed yourself, do you realize that?" Taking a breath, he continued. "If you had told me a year ago that you would be back here in this office showing more concern and love for another human than yourself, I would have laughed in your face." Sebastian scowled at the man, the earlier bout of merriment at his expense not forgotten.

"And yet, here we are." He stated grandly, long arms opening wide to motion around the room. "Sitting here; together. You; unemployed, tired, and utterly, desperately in love with that young man, that you couldn't give two shits about the fact that you walked away, and possibly destroyed, your entire career just for the sake of being near him." Smiling widely, he clapped his hands together. "I applaud you, Sebastian Michaelis. Very few people surprise me, but you have somehow managed to be the exception."

Sebastian just sat there in silence, his mouth hanging slightly open as he repeated the words the therapist had just imparted on him; all of it true. Ever since Ciel had walked into his life, nothing had been the same. From the very first day, he had been special, different from anyone else who had ever had the privilege of catching the handsome man's attention before. Ciel was his all; mind, heart and soul, and he would throw everything away all over again if it meant he would never have to be without him.

He swallowed hard, mind racing as the reality of just how much he had changed for the better because of another person washed on him. A low chuckle left his lips as Sebastian buried his face in his palms, rubbing his eyes and smiling. He sighed loudly and shook his head before looking up at Undertaker again, a wide grin spreading over his face.

"You're damn right, I love him." Sebastian stated firmly. "I love him so much that I don't care what I have to do or how much money I have to spend, I will do anything to see him happy again." Red eyes looking beseechingly into amused green ones, he leaned forward. "So, please. Help me. Help him." Sebastian begged the therapist, the professional nodding in agreement.

Interlacing long fingers, Undertaker placed his hands on the desk and leaned forward. "I will do what I can, but it won't be simple." Tone grave and serious as emerald eyes bore into the man. "Ciel is suffering severe trauma from what has happened to him, so much in fact, that he has completely shut down any emotions connected to the event as a way to cope." Pausing for moment, he took a deep breath. "Ciel feels like he had no control over the situation and he needs to learn to take that power back, have some but until he truly acknowledges what happened, he's not going anywhere mentally or emotionally." He elaborated and then adding as an afterthought, "Also, having some closure on the situation wouldn't hurt either."

"What can I do to help?" He asked, desperation evident in his voice. "I will do anything, just tell me."

"You're already doing what you can." Undertaker said simply, before cocking his head to the side and giving the man an odd look. "However, it probably wouldn't hurt if you gave up some of your control to Ciel. You know, level the playing field between you two." Sebastian shook his head, not grasping the suggestion.

"I don't understand." He frowned and the therapist chuckled at his confusion.

"You'll figure it out." Undertaker assured, sitting back in his seat. "Until you do, I think it would be best for me to meet with Ciel once a week for an hour each time." Sebastian agreed, but scowled at the fact the therapist didn't feel the need to explain his earlier comment. "And how do you plan to get the little Phantomhive back here again, hmm?"

Sebastian ignored the hint of amusement in the man's voice and instead stood to exit the room. "Don't you worry about that. I'll make sure he's here on time." Undertaker stood and walked across the room, stopping by the closed door to glance over his shoulder.

"I'm sure you have many tricks up your sleeve, Sebastian. Kekekeke." He chuckled before opening the door and letting the former executive walk past.

Jade eyes gleamed as they watched Ciel's face light up at the sight of Sebastian approaching, observing how the older male bent down to place a soft kiss on top of the slate colored head. Undertaker hummed a happy tune as he watched the two leave; his gut instinct telling him that everything would be alright in the end.

* * *

Ciel stomped his foot down firmly onto the hard tile, the action making a loud smacking sound throughout the condo. Arms were crossed over the slender frame as a determined scowl seemed permanently fixed on his face. He knew that acting like a two year old throwing a temper tantrum wasn't the best way to handle the situation, but he really had run out of ways to get his point across.

"I'm not going again and that's final!" He resolutely snapped. Sebastian stood a few feet away, eyes closed and massaging slow circles into his temple with on hand, a frustrated sigh leaving his lips as he leaned against the entryway to the bedroom.

They had been arguing for over an hour now, neither gaining any ground with the other and it had been that way ever since they had gotten home. The issue being that Ciel did not want to have Undertaker as his therapist, while he was no longer opposed to the idea of seeing a professional; the man's office they had just left was not the person he wanted to have rummaging around in his mind. In his opinion, the silver-haired individual with the insane laugh needed therapy more than he did.

"Anyone else! I will go see anyone else, Sebastian, just not that maniac!" Ciel argued, not understanding why he didn't agree with him. Dropping his hand, red eyes glared back, the man's patience wearing thin.

"No. He can help you, Ciel. I know you don't think that, but Undertaker is more than qualified to handle your sessions." Sebastian explained in a calm and firm tone. "I won't have you going to someone I don't know." The young man huffed, mumbling something about control issues and Sebastian snorted at the comment; being reminded of what Undertaker had said to him earlier about that matter.

A knock at the front door had both turning their heads at the sound in surprise. They had been so wrapped up in their heated discussion that neither had remembered that Alois was going to be stopping by to see how Ciel's session went. Dropping his arms, the young man reluctantly made his way over to the front door, his mood dark and not wanting to deal with his best friend at the moment.

The door swung open to reveal a smiling Alois holding a small cardboard box in his hands. "Hi! How's it going?" He chirped, following Ciel into the foyer while taking in his friend's disgruntled expression. Shooting a quick glance to Sebastian's stiff posture, "Are you two having a fight or something?" He asked, placing the box on the foyer table.

"Alois, this isn't best time right now." Ciel sighed, hand running through slate bangs in frustration. Alois watched as wary glances were being exchanged between Sebastian and his friend; tension thick in the air. Shaking his head, he decided to change the topic.

"Well, if you two are fighting then now is the perfect time for me to give you your gift." He grinned broadly, motioning to the box. "I got you a little something to congratulate you on your first therapy session. Go ahead. Open it." Ciel immediately felt guilty for his rotten attitude and mumbled a quiet thank you as he made his way over to the table.

Placing his hands on either side of the box, Ciel froze and stared at a beaming Alois at his side. "It moved." He whispered, eye wide in shock. "Why did the box move, Alois?" Sebastian, now curious to the contents of the package, stood at the other side of the table, the idea of the blonde bringing something alive into his condo not sitting well with him.

"Go on. It won't bite." He giggled, practically bouncing up and down with excitement as Ciel gave him a doubtful look before prying the cardboard open. A single blue orb stared down; a small smile twitching on his lips before a sudden sneezed caused Ciel to take a step back.

"Well, what it is?" Sebastian asked, grabbing the edge of the box and pulling to towards him. Red eyes blinked a few times in surprise before he reached in and pulled out the fluffy ball of black fur. Cradling the small thing to his chest, Sebastian smiled. "It's a kitten." The tiny animal mewed softly as it tried to snuggle closer to its newfound source of warmth.

Ciel sneezed again and rubbed his nose with the palm of his hand, annoyed at the way Sebastian seemed to be fawning over the diminutive creature. Alois danced around, humming happily as he watched the man playfully wiggle his fingers at the white paws. Another sneeze had both of them looking towards Ciel.

"Are you allergic?" Sebastian asked, the kitten now chewing merrily on his thumb. Ciel shook his head and glared at the animal.

"I don't know. I never had a cat before." He sniffed loudly, his gaze then focusing on Alois. "Why of all things did you get us a cat?" He asked, glaring at his friend who seemed completely oblivious to the fact that Ciel was not happy with him.

"Well, studies show that animals are helpful with therapy." He explained calmly, speaking to Ciel like he was a toddler.

"That's for physical therapy, Alois!" He corrected, brow furrowing as his friend pouted. "I'm in therapy for my mental well-being. There's nothing physical about it."

"I beg to differ." Sebastian interjected, staring at the kitten in his arms as he sauntered over to the couch to sit down. "Your mental state is manifesting itself into physical issues. So, in a sense, Alois's logic is sound." Ciel's jaw dropped in disbelief as the blonde gave a triumphant smile before going to kneel beside Sebastian's feet so he could poke at the kitten.

"What are you going to call him?" Alois asked as he let his finger be captured between the soft paws and tiny teeth. "It should be something unique." He commented, giggling as a scratchy tongue brushed against his knuckle.

Ciel slowly made his way over, blue eye peering cautiously at the black and white ball rolling around in Sebastian's lap. Sighing, he sat down next to his lover in hopes of understanding what was so wonderful about the little wriggling mass that seemed to have captivated everyone in the room, but him. However, one look at soft smile on Sebastian's lips as he stared down at the kitten had Ciel caving in and he decided that anything that made this man that content would just have to be accepted whether he liked it or not.

"Krimson." Ciel spoke quietly, using the tip of his index finger to rub the spot between the furry ears. A light purr had him smiling at the action. "I think we should name him Krimson." Glancing up at Sebastian's face, "Like your eyes." Alois nodded enthusiastically at the suggestion as Sebastian wrapped an arm around Ciel's shoulders, pulling him close to place a kiss to his forehead.

Ciel grumbled lightly, watching their new pet yawn before it curled into a small ball and fell asleep. The argument wasn't over, but he knew that one way or another, Sebastian was going to find a way to make him go back to Undertaker. He didn't want to, but just like with this kitten, anything that made the man he loved this happy, Ciel couldn't deny giving to him. For now, he would just relish being held in Sebastian's loving embrace and try not to think about the hour he would have to spend next week with the psychotherapist from hell.


	31. Chapter 31

Sebastian groaned in frustration, palms rubbing over his face and eyes as he tried to come up with a solution to his current problem. The open laptop hummed quietly on the kitchen table where he sat, the screen bright with various spreadsheets and bank accounts. He had been wrestling with the same issue for over two hours now and had yet to come up with something viable. The bottom line was that he needed to start making money again.

It had been a few months since Sebastian and Ciel had left FPE and in that time neither of them had been working. In fact, the former executive had been footing the bill for everything; food, clothing, medical treatment, therapy and other living expenses like the mortgage on his condo. Not that he was complaining; Sebastian was more than happy to take care of Ciel financially, however, it didn't take a genius to figure out that at some point, one of them was going to have to start bringing in some income.

Sebastian had been racking his brain to come up with a money generator for a while now. He thought about going to another financial firm, but decided against it since Vincent was sure to have poisoned any opportunities he might have had in the industry already. He had received a few emails from clients that were more than happy to follow him to another company, but the only problem was that he didn't have a company to go to. After combing through what seemed like thousands of options, Sebastian finally gave up and was about to contact his mentor, Mr. Tanaka for advice.

The older gentleman had been a financial consultant at the first firm that Sebastian had been hired at after college. He had taken a liking to the determined young man and decided to take him under his wing; guiding and teaching him the ins and outs of the industry. When Tanaka eventually left the company to start his own venture capital firm, he had told Sebastian that if he ever needed his help, to not hesitate to get in touch with him. Now, it seemed that the former VP might be calling in that favor.

"You ok?" Red eyes snapped open at the question as Ciel and Alois padded into the kitchen. The latter holding a wiggly Krimson who seemed very intent on being anywhere, but in someone's arms at this point and time. "You've been working in here for hours." Ciel commented, a disapproving look on his face.

Sebastian smiled at the concerned expression, something that had only recently started to resurface in the young man's behavior. It had been about four weeks since Ciel had started his weekly therapy sessions with Undertaker and in time much of his old personality had come back. It was a slow progression at first and he was by no means rehabilitated, but the improvements that had happened so far were vast and noticeable.

Ciel had calmed down; his mood swings less manic and more stable. Random noises no longer elicited a frightened response from him and his tolerance for being touched had risen considerably to where he was now able to be hugged by Alois again. He still suffered from the night terrors, the violent tossing and turning awaking both of them in the dead of night, in which Sebastian would promptly pull the trembling young man close to his chest and whisper soothing words until he calmly fell asleep again.

Undertaker had warned him from the beginning that the nightmares would continue until Ciel's subconscious caught up to the rest of the progress he had been making during the sessions. The logic being that he had no control over his mind while he slumbered and therefore couldn't help what popped into his head at three in the morning. However, despite that fact, Sebastian was thrilled to see the therapy having such a positive effect, especially considering how adamant Ciel had been against going in the first place.

Eventually, Sebastian hoped that he would become comfortable enough to be intimate again. After Ciel had walked in on him masturbating in the bathroom in the middle of the night, he had made a point of locking the door whenever the need to take care of such business arose. As much as he wanted to claim his lover, he understood that it was something that Ciel would have to get to in his own time and until he was ready, Sebastian wasn't going to push the topic any further.

"You could say I've been busy." He answered, stretching his back and yawning. "Although, how productive it is, I don't really know." Smirking, he patted the chair next to him, indicating Ciel take a seat. He plopped down and Alois followed suit opposite him, releasing the kitten to the ground who excitedly scampered off to explore some other part of the condo.

"Maybe you should take a break." The blonde grinned. "You could make us a snack." He suggested brightly, earning an eye roll from his friend before becoming busy texting on his smartphone.

"Anything I can help with?" Ciel inquired, trying to peek around the screen to see what was being worked on. Sebastian playfully pushed the slate colored head away, receiving a scowl for his action. "Hey." He whined.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you that it's not polite to read other people's emails?" The man teased lightly, threading long fingers through smaller ones and squeezing gently. Ciel snorted and gave him a dumb look.

"Yeah, you're one to talk." He scoffed. "I seem to remember you having no qualms about going through my emails a few months back." Sebastian chuckled at the pouty lips, wanting nothing more than to place a kiss on them. A brow arched curiously over a cobalt blue eye, "Sooo, what have you been doing in here for so long?"

"Trying to find a way to pay the bills." Rubbing a thumb over the small knuckles as he smiled. "It's about time I started working again. Especially if we keep feeding your bottomless pit of a friend over here." Sebastian nodded towards Alois who just stuck out his tongue before going back to texting on his phone. Ciel's face fell at the comment, guilt washing over him as he realized his unproductive presence had become a burden financially.

"I could get something." He offered shyly. "You shouldn't have to take care of me. You're already done so much, Sebastian." Lips pressed in a thin line as Ciel gazed earnestly into red eyes. Sebastian shook his head negatively; he wasn't about to have the young man go out into the workforce until he was mentally ready to deal with the stresses of corporate life again.

"Don't worry, I'll find something." He reassured, hoping the apprehension wasn't obvious in his face. A ping notified Sebastian of a new message and his eyes slid back to the screen. "Even if I have to start a company myself." He murmured aloud while reading, brow furrowing at the text in the email.

"Why don't you?" Ciel asked suddenly, dropping his fingers in favor of gripping his lover's arm. Sebastian glanced over at him, confusion marring his face. "Why don't you start your own company? You could do it." He explained quickly. "You have the experience and the contacts. Why go work for someone else again when you could be the one in charge?" Sebastian opened his mouth to argue, but Ciel interjected. "Together we could build a firm steeped with integrity and acceptance, instead of one that conforms to the cookie cutter industry standard. Think about it, you could stay in your field and still be open about your personal life." The man stared into the expressive blue eye, shining bright with encouragement and determination.

He mulled the idea over for a minute, weighing out the pros and cons of taking on such a risky endeavor. If it were not for Ciel's unwavering faith in Sebastian's ability to succeed and his passionate words, he would never have even considered doing something like this. Yet, as it was, he was low on options and Ciel was very convincing when he got an idea in his head.

"You do make a good point." He began slowly as he ran several obstacles through his mind. "I would need a rather large client to start with and I would need a partner. Someone with years of experience in addition to you with a reputation to show that the company is stable enough." Ciel's face lit up and he nodded fervently in agreement as Sebastian typed a reply to the recent email he had just received.

"Who would you partner with?" He inquired, eagerly leaning forward again to view the response. "Do you know someone? Oh, and what client are you going to approach? They would have to be pretty large enough to anchor a new company." Questions fired rapidly off Ciel's tongue as he practically bounced up and down in his seat with excitement. He chewed on his lower lip nervously, thrilled with interest at the prospect of doing something mentally stimulating again. Sebastian glanced over and chuckled at how eager Ciel seemed to be over starting such a large project.

He hummed as he tapped the send button, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. "First of all, I know someone I can ask to partner up with; my old mentor." Sebastian explained and Ciel motioned with his hand to continue. "I wasn't always a high-powered executive you know. I had to start at the bottom too." He smirked as he paused to recollect. "His name is Mr. Tanaka and he was at the first firm I joined at after graduating. Sort of like a father figure, I guess you could say." Ciel smiled at the warm expression Sebastian wore as he spoke of the man; knowing that his own father had not approved of his son's sexuality and disowned him.

"As for the client, I have someone in mind." He mused, receiving a skeptical look from the young man. "Don't make that face." Sebastian chided before elaborating. "Let's just say that I know particular individual who is in the process of starting a new company and has had a bad experience with a previous financial firm." Ciel opened to his mouth to ask a question, but he was cutoff. "Everything will work out when all is said and done. You just have to trust me." He winked while smiling sweetly; a disapproving glare being made at the cryptic statement.

"What do you mean, by 'when all is said and done'?" Ciel needled, his expression wary. "What are you planning, Sebastian?" A low yelp left his mouth as the older male gently curled his fingers around the nape of the small neck and pulling Ciel close to place a light reassuring kiss to his forehead. Letting out a low chuckle, Sebastian gazed into the wide cobalt orb.

"Not to worry. I have it all under control." Sebastian soothed, earning a displeased grunt for not answering directly. "Now, tell me." He cooed, red eyes dancing with mischief as he changed the subject. "How would you feel about taking a little trip to Abu Dhabi?"

* * *

"Stop! No, stop, please!" Ciel pleaded, gasping for air. He struggled furiously on the bedspread, trying in vain to roll away, but no matter where he went a scratchy tongue followed. "Oh God, Alois, help!" He laughed out loud as Krimson attacked his bare feet again, pouncing on his toes and trapping them between the small paws.

Alois sat next to his friend giggling as he watched the 21 year old being rendered helpless by a tiny kitten. "Nope, you're on your own, babe." He informed, earning him a quick smirk before another round of laughter had Ciel preoccupied again. Smiling, he reached over to pick up the playful fluff ball and cradled it in his arms. "Come to daddy, you little demon, you." Alois addressed as Krimson batted at his nose.

Ciel rolled over onto his tummy, propping himself on his elbows as he watched the pair. "Are you sure you're OK with taking care of him for a couple of days?" Alois giggled at the little animal, not paying his friend any attention. "Cuz, you don't have to stay here the whole time. You could just come by and check on him." The blonde shook his head at the suggestion.

"I'd rather be here than at home anyways." He sighed, finally looking up. "I really need to find another roommate. I can't wait till Lau's lease runs out." Alois groaned. "Besides, you can't just leave this little guy all alone. He'll get lonely." As if in agreement, the kitten buried its head into the warm chest and purred loudly.

Ciel chuckled as his friend fawned over his pet, trying to decide who spoiled the tiny creature more; Alois or Sebastian. The latter having fallen in love with Krimson from the very beginning and treating him like a precious jewel. It made Ciel laugh; the idea of the intimidating professional's persona melting away at the sight of a kitten slumbering peacefully on the edge of the bed at night.

"Well, what are you going to do while we're gone?" Ciel inquired, thinking that maybe his friend would spend his free time working extra hours at Boxer's Sports Bar or maybe even audition for a play. It had been a while since the blonde had gone out for any acting parts; something that Ciel felt somewhat responsible for hindering. Alois spent most of his free time at the condo with him so he wouldn't get depressed, as he was prone to do now since his mental state was still recuperating. "You could try out for a play or something?" He suggested, hoping the idea would get Alois's creative juices flowing.

He shook his head again. "Nah, I have things to do." Alois stated, placing Krimson on the ground so he could scamper off to annoy Sebastian in the kitchen. "Anyways, Luka is coming this week to get acquainted with the NYU campus and I promised to show him around the city a bit." Light blue eyes glanced away and a small blush formed over Alois's cheeks at the excuse.

Ciel's ears perked up at the mention of Luka's name and he stared inquisitively at the nervous expression on his friend's face. Alois had told him about Luka, how they met in London and the fact that they had been talking for a few months now, but he had always just assumed it was a platonic relationship. However, the way the blonde's face was turning red and averting his eyes just now had Ciel realizing that this was more than just a friendly encounter; well, to Alois at least.

"Is this a date?" Ciel asked carefully, watching every minuscule detail of his expression. He noticed how Alois fidgeted in his seat, the way he refused to look him directly in the eye and how he seemed completely unsure of himself in his own skin. All these things were not part of the gregarious young man's personality and it only served to reinforce what Ciel had just discovered, but could not believe he was seeing: Alois had a massive school-girl crush Luka.

"No!" He snapped back harsher than intended. "It's not a date. I'm just showing him around because he's never been to New York before." Instantly regretting his tone, he continued in a soft mumble. "We're just going to hang out and see the sights. That's all." Blue eyes glanced down, disappointment evident.

"But you like him, right?" Ciel needled a little more, scooting himself closer so Alois would have to look at him. "You really, really like him." He nodded in defeat at the assumption and finally met his friend's gaze. Ciel shook his head, still not being able to grasp the fact that extroverted, sexually boisterous, women-lockup-your-first-born-sons Alois Trancy was actually so enamored by another guy that he was getting all mopey. "So, what's the problem?" The blonde gave him a knowing look.

"The problem is that I don't know if he's like that." He grumbled, the idea of having his crush being one-sided depressing him. "I mean, we've been talking; a lot. Texting and on the phone, but nothing that obviously points to him liking guys." Alois explained gloomily. "And it's so easy with him, Ciel. Luka makes everything simple, I mean, he's not married nor does he have some psycho ex stalking him." He sighed again, collapsing back onto the mattress. "I just like him. He makes my tummy all fluttery, you know?"

Ciel covered a small giggle with his hand as he watched his friend gaze dreamily at the ceiling. "So, I'm guessing this means you're not going to unleash your sexual prowess on poor Luka this week?" Alois looked over and scowled. "Because if you care about someone and you want something other than a quick romp in the sack, I suggest you wait a little longer. Well, at least until you know whether he's into guys are or not." He chuckled again as his friend groaned in frustration.

"And I so need to get laid." Alois moaned loudly. "My poor hand is starting to develop blisters from all the jacking off it's been doing lately." He splayed his fingers open as if to prove his point to Ciel. "I mean, the last time I was properly and thoroughly fucked was when Clau-" Alois froze in mid-sentence; jaw hanging open and eyes wide with horror as he realized what he had almost just said. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Ciel. I wasn't thinking." He apologized quickly, wondering if he should call for Sebastian in case Ciel had a panic attack.

A hand reached out and gently wrapped around the shaking blonde's forearm, giving it a light squeeze. "Hey, it's OK, Alois. I'm alright." He assured calmly. "You can say his name. I won't fall to pieces because of it. It's just a word, after all." Ciel smiled reassuringly and his friend returned the gesture. "Undertaker and I talked about this. A name can only cause me issues if I let it have special significance." He explained, blue eye clear of any dark emotions. "So, eventually, I started to see it as a word and nothing more. It's no different to me now than saying cat or dog." Silence passed between them for a few minutes before Alois decided to fill the uncomfortable void.

"Well, we know my sex life is nonexistent. How's yours doing?" He asked innocently, confused when Ciel just shrugged and looked away. Playfully, he leaned in, grinning as he stared at his friend. "Awww, come on, Ciel. Share some of the dirty details. I'm practically being re-virginized over here!" Alois whined, poking him in the shoulder and earning an annoyed look in response.

"Yeah, you and everybody else here." He breathed out, cautiously gauging how his friend took the information. A perplexed look spread over Alois's face as he tried to make sense of Ciel's comment.

"Ohhhhhh." He whispered as the understanding set in. "You mean, you and Sebastian haven't been . . ."He made a circle with his index finger and thumb, holding it in the air as he poked another digit through it rhythmically with his other hand.

"No. Not since before." Ciel sighed loudly, blushing in embarrassment at the vulgar pantomiming. "I just, I can't, I mean," he fumbled, looking for an accurate description of what was going on in his head. "I just can't, Alois. I don't know why, but I just don't feel like it anymore. And it has nothing to do with, Sebastian." Ciel explained quickly. "I love him, so much. And part of me wants to so badly, but then, there's just something there that keeps stopping me." Flopping over onto his back and flinging an arm over his face, he groaned in annoyance. "Can we just change the subject, please?"

Alois nodded in agreement, humming as he thought of something else to talk about. "So, what time is your flight tomorrow?" He asked while Ciel rolled his eyes at the thought of tomorrow.

"Ass-early." He complained. "I don't understand why Sebastian always insists on taking the first flight out in the morning." Ciel snorted. "And for that matter, I have no clue how he convinced Undertaker to let me miss out on therapy this coming week either." He grumbled, still trying to wrap his mind around that unexpected outcome.

Undertaker had made a big stink earlier about how important it was that Ciel attended weekly sessions in order to keep from back pedaling into previous behaviors; therefore, for an hour every week the young man had sat with the peculiar therapist and discussed everything little thing that affected him, no matter how insignificant the event might have seemed. However, all it took was one ten minute private conversation last week and Sebastian had Undertaker telling him to enjoy his trip abroad and not to worry about missing the upcoming session. Ciel would have given his right arm to know what his lover had said to make the eccentric man change his tune, but instead settled on just being happy that he wouldn't have to see his therapist for the next seven days.

"But it will be a productive trip, I think." Ciel admitted. "We're supposed to meet up with a future client and discuss contract negotiations." He hummed, thinking out loud. "If all goes well, we might leave with a partnership that will provide enough business for Sebastian and Tanaka to have a solid building block for their own company." Alois quirked an eyebrow at the self-satisfied look his friend was giving him.

"Ok, but I've got one question for you." He started slowly. "Why are you going with Sebastian instead of Tanaka?" Ciel's expression instantly changed to one of surprise and then internal confusion. He stared at Alois for a while, mouth opening and closing without a sound for what seemed like an eternity before finally giving up.

"I don't know actually." Ciel mumbled softly as he fidgeted with his fingers. He hadn't even thought about why Tanaka wasn't going to Abu Dhabi as he had been too excited about going himself. Quietly he went through the various reasons in his mind, coming up with nothing certain except that he would most likely find out when Sebastian wanted him to.

* * *

Ciel hated winter. It was dreary, it was wet and worst of all, it was cold, something that he could never seem to tolerate that well. No matter how many layers of clothing he put on, his body never wanted to warm up and instead just stayed in a sort of limbo between comfortable and cool. Which is why growing up in the Northeast, he had dreaded the months between November and May when the entire landscape would be in a permanent stasis of cold and frigid.

So, it only made sense that he would absolutely adore the heat. Ciel couldn't wait every year for spring to come around and chase away the snow and ice; bringing with it the strong sun of summer and then the breezy days of autumn. Yes, he always knew he loved the heat and decided in the back of his mind that he would someday in the future retire to somewhere hot and exotic; that is, until he stepped out of the Four Seasons with Sebastian on their first afternoon in Abu Dhabi.

The two had arrived early in the evening and Ciel had been so jet lagged that Sebastian practically carried him into the hotel suite. They slept the rest of the night and awoke the next day in the early afternoon in order to be on time for a meeting with Soma Kadar at his office. As Sebastian showered, Ciel nibbled on some toast from room service as he gaped out the large windows of their room at the expansive skyline that was the United Emirates; completely in awe that he was actually really there.

Dressed in expensive suits, the two made their way through the large lobby towards the hotel's entrance to wait outside for the car that had been sent by Agni to pick them up. The moment Ciel walked through the sliding glass doors from the air conditioned resort and into the Middle Eastern weather he knew he would never look at heat the same way again. Hot didn't even begin to describe the oppressive oven-like temperature that enveloped their bodies.

"You alright?" Sebastian asked, red eyes glancing over in concern as Ciel roughly pulled the collar of his dress shirt away from his neck with a finger. He quickly looked back to the email he had been typing on the blackberry before pocketing the device and giving the young man his full attention. "Ciel, are you ok? You're wet with sweat." Long fingers reached out to brush lightly against the damp forehead, confirming his suspicions.

"How can you not be? God, it's so hot!" He complained irritably, loosening his tie. Ciel felt like he was being broiled alive in his suit, the heavy sun and humid air making it difficult to breathe properly. A wave of dizziness washed over him just as Sebastian's hand reached out to grip his elbow and steady him. "I-I don't feel so good." He mumbled, while staring at the ground, the black eye patch now soaked with perspiration. His eye fluttered closed as his knees gave way, Ciel's entire frame collapsing into Sebastian's arms.

"Ciel!" He exclaimed, hoisting the limp form up and nodding his head to the valet who jumped up to assist the hotel's guest who was now almost unconscious. A white Mercedes pulled up and Sebastian guided Ciel into the back seat, resting the slate colored head against the smooth black leather headrest before getting in himself.

"Here, drink this." Sebastian ordered softly, placing a bottle of water to the parched lips and tipping it so he could swallow. "There you go." He soothed, worry evident in his tone as a blue eye slowly opened to look at him. Sitting up, Ciel shook his head, trying to clear away some of the remaining fuzziness from earlier.

"What happened?" He asked, the scenery of the business district whizzing by as the sleek vehicle made its way to their destination. "When did we get in the car?" Ciel accepted another bottle of water, the previous one completely empty now.

"You fainted, I think." Sebastian smiled gently. "You were dehydrated so we just need it make sure you drink more water while we're here." Ciel nodded as he finished the second bottle before handing it back. He blushed as he thought about the fact that he had actually fainted in public. "It's alright. I didn't mind carrying you around like my princess. "Sebastian teased, earning him a smack and low growl from the already thoroughly embarrassed young man.

The former executive chuckled at his lover's flustered appearance and settled back in his seat to gaze out the tinted window. Ciel did the same, chewing on his lower lip as he thought about the extremely important meeting they were about to attend. Depending on how things went, a contract with Kadar Industries would make or break Sebastian's chances at starting his own company and it had Ciel wondering again why he was here instead of Tanaka.

"Sebastian?" He asked quietly, raising his eye to see make sure he was looking at him. "Why did you bring me instead of Tanaka to Abu Dhabi with you?" Sebastian's brow furrowed at the question and Ciel quickly continued. "It's not that I don't want to be here because I do, but wouldn't it have made more sense for you to bring along your business partner?" Averting his gaze as he admitted his reasoning. "I mean, I don't know how much good I can be to you these negotiations. I hardly have the experience necessary." Ciel watched as his hand was clutched by a larger one, the back of his knuckles brought to Sebastian's lips so he could place a light kiss to them.

"You're the only one I want here with me in this." He stated calmly, crimson eyes serious as his tone. Leaning over, Sebastian hesitated a moment before closing the space between them, wrapping an arm around the small waist and pulling the smaller body close. Ciel didn't struggle or stiffen as he would have only a few short weeks ago and decided at the last moment to place his leg over Sebastian's and straddle his hips. "You need to be here when this all goes down. It's important for you; for me." He whispered, closing his eyes and rubbing the tips of their noses together.

Ciel shook his head, not understanding the meaning behind the emotionally laced phrases. He knew that Sebastian was nervous about attempting to start his own company, but to be this vexed by anything business related was just unlike the powerful man. Ciel knew there was something he wasn't telling him, however, the only thing he could care about at the moment was easing some of the heavy burden that sat on his lover's shoulders. It was too much for one person to carry alone; the obligation of both their financial futures and whatever else he was keeping Ciel in the dark about.

Timidly, he reached up and gently caressed the edge of the strong jaw, his other hand still held tightly by Sebastian's against the older male's chest. He watched the stress lines etch themselves across the handsome face, seeing how they made Sebastian look so much older than his actual age. Ciel wanted to do something, anything, to ease some of the tension that was so blatantly obvious. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eye and tipped his chin up to press a gentle kiss to Sebastian's mouth.

A startled noise left the man's throat, eyes flying wide open at the action in shock. Ciel hadn't initiated any sort of intimacy, no matter how small, intentionally since before Claude had attacked him. He stared for a moment at the relaxed features on the young man's face, no fear or pain apparent, before he allowed himself to settle into the embrace, closing his eyes and deepening the kiss. Sebastian moved carefully, on high alert for even the slightest indication that he had pushed his lover too far, but as the act became more passionate, he found himself falling victim to the addicting drug that was Ciel

"Mmmnnn, Sebastian." Ciel breathed as a strong hand gently placed itself on the nape of his neck, fingers twirling through the soft hair. "More, I want more." He whispered before having his mouth enveloped again, the small moans being swallowed up as Sebastian slowly sucked on the delectable mouth.

Ciel hummed as he nibbled the lower lip lightly with his teeth before flicking the moist muscle into Sebastian's mouth, curiously testing the waters and asking for entrance. He whimpered quietly as he was allowed to take over the kiss, rolling his tongue tentatively over its companion, not sure of how to lead. A low appreciative moan gave Ciel the confidence he needed to continue exploring the hot cavern and set the pace for a sensual coupling.

Sebastian tightened his arm around the slender torso, pushing their chests together so he could almost feel Ciel's erratic heartbeat through his suit. The younger male moaned in delight at how he tasted and took great joy in being held so close and securely in the strong arms once again. Eventually though, Ciel broke away, panting as he sat back on Sebastian's lap, cheeks pink with excitement and giddiness of having just made out for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Long fingers reached out and brushed the slate bangs out of Ciel's eye. "That was wonderful." Sebastian commented as he gazed at him, eyes full of warm adoration. "Can I ask what prompted such a display of lovely affection all of a sudden?" He asked, grasping Ciel's chin so he would look directly at him and nowhere else. Releasing a slow breath, he composed himself before answering the question.

"I'm not sure." He frowned as he tried to come up with a logical reason for practically jumping Sebastian in the back to the car. "I guess, I just wanted to." Ciel huffed, when he couldn't think of anything better. "Are you mad?" He asked warily, wondering if he had somehow overstepped his bounds just now and it had been bad timing.

Sebastian laughed out loud at the innocent question as Ciel gave him a confused look. He hugged the young man tightly against him, placing light kisses to the crown of his head as it rested on his broad shoulder. Ciel melted into the familiar embrace, closing his eye and smiling as he reciprocated the gesture.

"No, of course, I'm not mad." He breathed into the slate hair, enjoying the pleased him that escaped from Ciel's mouth from his answer. "I could never be upset with you wanting to kiss me so badly." Sebastian chuckled and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to smell the sweet lavender scent of his lover's shampoo. "I'm just a little surprised that you chose now of all times to do it." He whispered. "But please, feel free to indulge in that desire whenever it arises."

They rode the rest of the way in silence, Ciel perched on Sebastian's lap as twin thumbs rubbed steady circles into his back. They breathed in unison, slow and steady, almost as if they were one body, drowning in the simple joy of just being so close to one another. It wasn't until the vehicle stopped that Ciel gave a disappointed sigh before sliding over into his own seat.

Hurriedly, he straightened his clothing in an attempt to look more professional and less like an eager teen who had been caught necking at Lookout Point. Sebastian offered a small encouraging smile before opening the door and getting out; turning back to extend an upturned hand to his partner. Ciel grasped it with small fingers and exited the car, blinking rapidly as the bright sun accosted his eyes once again.

Sebastian released his hand, but not before giving it one last comforting squeeze; something Ciel realized was more for the man's benefit than his own. Taking a deep breath, they walked up the steps and into Tower 3 of Etihad Towers, knowing that no matter what happened, this was sure to be a defining moment in both their lives.


	32. Chapter 32

Ciel had always found skyscrapers fascinating. There was just something about the massive buildings constructed out of steel and glass that defied the laws of gravity as they shot upwards to the heavens that captured his mind. When he first moved to New York, it took a while before he stopped staring skyward as he walked around; gaping in awe at the structures that gave Manhattan its famous skyline. So, it was no wonder that he was equally enthralled to be standing in an elevator that was rocketing him up to the 57th floor in one of the spectacular Etihad Towers.

The five tower billion dollar project had won dozens of awards for its architecture, interior design and landscape. It included [apartments](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8606557/32/), a hotel, shopping mall, convention area, parking and an office tower all positioned in the prime location in the center of Abu Dhabi's business district. If that wasn't enough, each building offered floor to ceiling panoramic views of the breathtaking dessert landscape and the Cornice's stunning waterfront.

As the elevator stopped and the doors slid open, Sebastian gave Ciel one last reassuring smile before his stern professional persona slipped into place. Both walked into the lobby of Kadar Oil and Drilling, Inc., making their way to the receptionist's desk who smiled as they approached.

"Good afternoon and welcome to KOD." She greeted in a light accent with a wide white smile and large gray eyes. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a half ponytail that accentuated her striking feminine features. "Who are you here to see today?"

"We have a 2 o'clock with Soma Kadar." Sebastian informed firmly, Ciel standing to his side doing his best to look professional and not stare at the ultra-modern office space. He had expected something a little more traditional to the Middle Eastern culture; instead the area was expansive and decorated in a light color palette of whites and neutrals with the occasional splash of red or yellow.

"Ah, yes. Mister Michaelis and Mister Phantomhive." The receptionist nodded. "Please have a seat and Mister Kadar will be with you shortly. My name is Meena." She smiled again, standing up and nodding over to some chairs. "Let me know if you would like anything to drink. Coffee, tea, water?" Both men shook their heads and turned to sit when a voice stopped them in mid-step.

"Ahhh, Mister Michaelis, I presume." The deep baritone stated. A dark skinned man in an expense deep chocolate pinstripe suite was coming down the hall, his strides long and confident as he reached out to take Sebastian's hand to shake. "I am Agni. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance in person." He smiled broadly, gray eyes dancing with delight that only added to the sincerity of his statement.

Ciel stood to the side while the two men exchanged pleasantries, making an assessment of the person who he had only heard about through Sebastian until now. Agni was tall, taller than Sebastian by more than just a few inches, his shoulders broad and body lean. Straight white hair was worn short and nicely trimmed, except for two thin braids that hung over his right shoulder adorned with beads; an accepted fashion choice in this country that Ciel found interesting.

"This is Ciel Phantomhive." Sebastian's voice sounded, snapping him from his daydreaming. Ciel glanced into the warm gray orbs and extended his hand, only to be shocked when the man placed his own hand over his heart and bowed at the waist.

"It is an honor to meet the man who discovered the information that will clear my master of this humiliation." Agni stated, not looking up. "I will forever be at your service should the need arise, Master Ciel." He stood straight, his expression calm and serious as Ciel tried not to laugh at the outrageous display of commitment.

Taking a deep breath, he subdued a giggle. "Thank you Mister Agni. That is very gracious of you." Ciel smiled and was happy when the gesture was returned. A quick glance at Sebastian had him catching the slightest twitch of a smirk on the man's composed face from the demonstration of Agni's gratitude in the middle of the reception area.

"If you would be so kind as to follow me." Agni stated as he began to make his way back through the hallway he had appeared from just moments ago. "We will meet with my master in the conference room." Sebastian and Ciel trailed behind the man, sharing a few looks between them as they went.

Ciel caught his lover's eye and mouthed 'Master Soma?'. To which Sebastian quirked an eyebrow and smiled, shrugging his shoulders a little as if to answer 'What can I tell you?'. It was an odd way of addressing someone's boss, but different countries meant different corporate cultures, so Ciel would just have to accept and adapt to how things were done over here.

Agni opened a large panel door and stood aside so the two visitors could walk past him. Ciel tried not to openly gape at the enormous room, but the amazing view through the huge windows was absolutely stunning. From this one room, a person could see for miles over the waterway and into the dessert, a mixture of dull yellows and bright blues joining together in perfect harmony.

A high-backed chair at one end of the long black marble conference table swiveled around to reveal someone sitting in it. Plum colored hair spilled onto the shoulders of the young man who now sat facing them, golden eyes dancing as he propped his chin up on this hand. He smiled as they entered, watching how the foreigners reacted to the glorious view of Abu Dhabi before them.

"Not bad, right?" He declared, standing up and opening his arms wide. His outstretched limbs showed off an indigo suit that hugged his slim frame making him look older than he really was. Done with his fun of showing off the surroundings, he walked forward to stand next to Agni who bowed respectfully to the younger male.

"Master Soma. May I introduce Sebastian Michaelis and Ciel Phantomhive." Agni announced before standing up again and taking a step back so that the trio could meet and greet without his interference.

"Sebastian Michaelis, Agni has told me so much about you." Soma smiled as he enthusiastically took Sebastian's hand in his and shook it. He glanced over at Ciel and gave him the same megawatt grin. "And you, you must be Ciel." He reaffirmed, taking the young man's hand and repeating the shaking gesture. "I would have thought you would be older, or at least taller."

Ciel's mouth popped open in surprise at the borderline rude statement, but quickly snapped it shut as it would do no good getting off to a bad start before they even had a chance to discuss any business whatsoever. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself. "I'm only 21, Prince Soma." Ciel informed, mouth in a grim line. "You never know, I might still be growing."

Soma hummed merrily and shook his head in a negative manner. "No, no. You will remain small." Nodding at the solidity of his statement. "I'm 26 and haven't added an inch since my 17th birthday. So, no, you will stay at this stature until you die, Ciel." Gray eyes blinked innocently at the young man whose mouth was hanging open yet again. Suddenly Soma smiled brightly, "But do not fret. Good things come in small packages, like dynamite." Sebastian chuckled at the comparison, earning him an evil glare from his partner.

Agni cleared his throat loudly. "Why don't we have a seat and discuss the reason that you have traveled so far to meet with us." He suggested, motioning to the conference table. As they moved to pick a chair, the tall man followed. "Would anyone like any refreshments; tea perhaps?"

Sebastian and Soma declined the offer, however, Ciel did ask for some water. He wasn't about to take any chances at having another fainting episode, so if even if he needed to drink a bathtub's worth of the liquid a day, he would do it. Thanking Agni for the ice cold refreshment, he took a sip before settling back in his chair next to Sebastian.

"Alright then, shall we?" Sebastian stated firmly as he leaned back in the leather seat, red eyes fixed on the young prince and his servant/bodyguard who stood a few feet behind. "You've had the opportunity to look over the information I have sent you, I assume." Soma nodded in response, before he continued. "Everything I have told you is accurate and will be upheld as substantial evidence in a court of law if you so decide to use it in such a manner."

Soma leaned forward, folding his hands neatly in front of him on the table. "Not that I doubt your word, Mister Michaelis; however, we do require some more concrete proof of these claims." Golden spheres became stern and cold, the previous chipper personality gone now as an aura nobility and power emanated from the young man in its place. "Do you have something to show us?" An eyebrow arching in question.

"Of course." Sebastian replied, digging into his breast pocket and extracting a black flash drive. Holding it up for everyone to see, "This drive contains various financial documents that proves that your company had invested said amount of money with FPE in a fictitious LLC called Phoenix through Claude Faustus." Laying the thumb drive on the table, he slid it towards the other end where Soma sat.

Picking it up to examine it, he shrugged and passed it over his shoulder to Agni. "Is that all? That's hardly enough to prove embezzlement; just that we had a contract with allocated finances that were placed into an LLC." Soma's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Don't try to pull something over on me. Mister Michaelis. I may be young and have made mistakes trusting the wrong people in the past, but I can promise you that I learned from that experience and will not let it happen again." Sebastian smiled politely, long fingers steepling under his nose.

"I never considered your youth to be a hindrance to your business savvy, Prince Soma." He began, Ciel marveling at how calm and collected the former executive appeared even though everything was balancing precariously on the line at this very moment. "I understand your feelings considering that your previous experience with Faustus and because of that, you should be more skeptical of anyone who approaches you asking for your blind trust in them with your money. If you didn't, you would be a fool." Sebastian tilted his head and smirked. "But you don't strike me as a fool." The prince broke into a wide grin and nodded his head.

"That being said," Sebastian continued calmly, "I would like this exchange to happen in good faith, therefore, that drive also contains the information as to how the money was syphoned out of the LLC or never deposited at all. Therefore, you have everything that was uncovered by Ciel and it us who we are placing our faith in you to hold up your end of the bargain." Ciel's jaw dropped in disbelief at what he was hearing, Sebastian was giving away all their leverage. Strong fingers gave the small knee a reassuring squeeze before he finished. "So, it is now up to you to decide if you will remain honorable in our negotiations or not."

Soma pursed his lips together, brow furrowing deep in thought at what had just been presented to him. He could, in essence, take the information and use it to bring down the man who had ruined his reputation without having to give anything in return to these foreigners. The drive was in his hands and it wouldn't take, but a few empty promises and these two Americans would leave empty handed. Shaking the negative thought away, the prince sat straight, his mind made up.

"I will have Agni check the contents of this." He stated firmly, nodding to his bodyguard. "If the data you say is there, then we will hold up our end of the agreement." Sebastian raised an eyebrow at the condition, but accepted it. "You need not worry, Mister Michaelis. My culture prides itself on honesty and integrity; I will not screw you over." He reassured before glancing back, "Agni, go see what's on that drive." The tall man bowed respectfully before leaving the room.

Ciel leaned over to whisper at Sebastian. "What agreement?" Red eyes slid over to meet the disapproving stare. "What are you not telling me, Sebastian?" He hissed, the look of feigned innocence on his lover's face just annoying him all the more.

"So, you're the one who uncovered what happened to my money?" The question pulled Ciel from his mental musings to glance at the prince.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" He answered, knowing exactly what had been asked, but failing to come up with a better answer. Soma stood and walked over to the pair, plopping down on the table to use as a seat.

"And what happened to your eye? Did you always wear an eye patch?" He leaned over Ciel, pointing at the black fabric. A heavy blush covered the young man's cheeks as he was being examined by the noble hovering over him. "Ow!" Soma complained as his hand was smacked away.

"You shouldn't go around poking people and asking such personal questions!" Ciel justified, anger apparent in his tone. "It's none of your business how I got this." He informed, glaring while crossing his arms over his chest and huffing back into his seat.

"Was it something really bad? Were you in an accident?" Soma pressed on, curiosity evident in his face. "Because if it's a war wound then it is nothing to be ashamed of and you should wear it like a badge of honor for your bravery." He hummed approvingly at the logic of his statement.

Sebastian muffled a chuckle at the interaction between the two, knowing that Ciel's patience was wearing thin. Head whirling around at the sound of laughter starting, the young man shaking his head slowly with a look that said 'don't encourage him' only to receive one that said 'be nice'. Sighing in frustration, he turned his attention back to the prince.

"If you must know, I received this injury while warding off an attacker." Ciel explained, giving into their hopefully soon-to-be client's whims. "So, in a way, it is somewhat of a war wound, I guess." Soma's face lit up and he reached out to grab Ciel's hands in his, jerking him forward in the chair.

"Really? You are very brave, Ciel, to have been in a fight and live to tell others about it." He grinned before his face fell from another thought. "But why did he attack you in the first place?"

Ciel just shook his head in disbelief that this ill-mannered, albeit good intentioned young man who had somehow been able to run a multi-million dollar business venture. Granted it had failed through no fault of his own, but still it was hard to understand where the stern business man who had been talking to Sebastian only few minutes ago had gone to and instead replaced by this naive youth who didn't seem to understand the concept of personal space or privacy.

"Well, that's an interesting story." Ciel began, an innocent smile spreading over his face as Soma waited with bated breath to hear the answer. "See, Claude attacked me because I found out that he was embezzling money from your company, Prince Soma." He paused to let the facts sink for a moment, before continuing. "So, technically, I lost my eye while protecting your assets." Ciel let out a loud yelp as he was suddenly enveloped in a tight, breath crushing hug, the chair almost tipping over from the force at which the prince had flung himself at the young man.

"You protected my honor!" Soma cried out, tightening his grip even more. "You sacrificed yourself for the sake of shielding my family and my business." Releasing Ciel to sit back and looking him straight in the eye. "I will forever be in your debt, Ciel Phantomhive. Anything wish you to have will be granted by the Kadar family, I swear it upon my nobility." Soma sat back onto the table, smiling while being glared at by a singular blue orb.

"Any-," cough, "Anything?" He managed to get out, glancing over at Sebastian who shrugged his shoulders, the corners of his mouth turning upward as he tried to suppress another laugh. The prince was amusing to watch and the way he pressed Ciel's buttons was priceless in the man's eyes.

"Yes, yes!" He sang out, glowing with excitement before looking at the conference door that had just opened. Agni stepped through and casually walked over to take his rightful place at the prince's side. "Agni!"" Soma chanted happily. "What is the status of that drive?"

"My Master," he began smoothly, hands clasped respectfully behind his back. "All the information and data that Mister Michaelis claimed to be there, was in fact present." Agni glanced at the two visitors. "I must say that it is quite amazing that you uncovered this illegal deed to begin with." Soma waved his hand in the air before pointing towards Ciel.

"Agni, did you know that Ciel lost his eye defending my investment?" The prince informed proudly at the statement. "Claude Faustus violently attacked him when he confronted the man about syphoning our money from Kadar Industries into his own pocket." Agni arched an eyebrow at the young man who blushed slightly with humility.

"Is that so?" He mused quietly, exchanging a quick knowing look with Sebastian that did not go unnoticed by Ciel, who narrowed his eye and made a mental note to ask him about that later when they were alone. "Then we are even further in debt to you than originally thought." Soma clapped his hands in agreement.

"If that is the case," Sebastian interjected, his strong voice commanding the attention of the room. "Then why don't we discuss a way to balance the scales in addition to what has already been agreed upon." Ciel shot him another suspicious look; there was still the matter of the agreement that Sebastian had made with the prince that he had no clue of what it entailed. Leaning forward, red eyes sparkled as he spoke, "Prince Soma, I have a proposition for you that will benefit both of us greatly."

* * *

Control; the very definition of the word means to exercise power or authority over something. Power is defined as the ability to have control or influence over something or someone. The two terms are so closely intertwined that they are actually used to describe one another, and so, it can be assumed that to desire one is to them crave both. Claude Faustus was no exception to this theory and he hated not having either.

So, the London VP had made it his life's goal to achieve both power and control. It began in college where he worked tirelessly in his studies to graduate at the top of his class and continued into his professional life where he quickly moved up the corporate ladder through hard work and thwarting his competition. When it became apparent that his gender preference would hinder his ability to move forward, he fixed the problem by marrying a friend who had the same ambitions for power and wealth as himself. With that issue taken care of, Claude progressed even further into his successful career which brought him to where he was today; Vice President of the London office for Funtom Private Equity.

Leaning his back against the cool brick wall, Claude exhaled a cloud of smoke and sighed in satisfaction as the nicotine hit his bloodstream. Long fingers played with the burning stick before bringing it to his lips for another drag. Closing his eyes, he let his head fall back and his mind wander, the late hour leaving very few people, if anybody, around to bother him.

It had been months since he beat and brutally raped Ciel Phantomhive, an incident that he rarely thought about since Claude didn't have any time to waste on feeling guilty. Instead, he filed it away with other less favorable memories as something that had to be done in the pursuit of his dream of becoming the successor to the CEO of FPE; just another step along the way to achieve what he had worked so hard for his entire life.

When the memo came out that Ciel had left the company in order to "pursue other interests" there had been a lot of speculation as to what the real reason was to his sudden departure. When it was revealed that Sebastian Michaelis had also left FPE, rumors began to circulate about the connection between the two men. None of them were even remotely accurate, but the one Claude found the most entertaining had Sebastian and Ciel working together in an attempt to blackmail Vincent Funtom.

He didn't know exactly what had happened and theories as to why, when or what were endless. However, since nobody ever mentioned anything about Ciel being attacked or raped, Claude had assumed that the little brat had finally learned his lesson and kept his mouth shut. Him actually leaving the firm and having Michaelis follow, was just a bonus for the VP. Regardless, no one ever approached Claude about the pair and he continued doing as he had always done; embezzling money from the clients and planning his pending ascension to position of CEO on day. Unconsciously, he reached over and rubbed the area between the thumb and index finger on his right hand.

There would forever be a light scar there; a constant reminder of what Claude had to do to get where he needed to be. Again, he pushed the thought from his mind; there was no sense in dwelling on something like that, especially since the end result had been the one he wanted. Ciel was no longer the heir to the FPE throne and Sebastian had left the ring as his only competitor; everything had worked out rather nicely.

A scuffling noise from within the alley pulled Claude from his thoughts and he narrowed his eyes to see what was there. Golden orbs peered into the pitch black as he waited for someone or something to make an appearance. A few minutes passed with nothing to show for and he settled back into this original position against the wall.

Regret was a useless emotion as far as he was concerned. It was a waste of time to feel remorse for something previously done when in the present nothing could be done about it. However, there was one small element in his plan for power and wealth that had Claude looking back and feeling slightly depressed over; that detail was Alois.

He sighed sadly as he reminisced about the golden haired chorus boy. The way his icy blue eyes would light up with that wide grin and how he would giggle furiously at the most inane comment. Claude fantasized about the firmness of the slender body and the feel of it underneath him; panting and sweating as low moans and whimpers would escape from those beautiful lips. He could almost hear the sweet sound of Alois's breathy cries as he came, pleasure pushing him so far over the edge that he would nearly black out. Yes, Claude did regret not being able to keep him after everything that had happened.

Why he had become so attached to the young man, Claude wasn't really sure, but he deduced it had something to do with the way Alois chose to live his life. The blonde was a free spirit, innocent and trusting, he was not afraid of what others might think or what judgment they could deal out at his sexually boisterous nature. Instead, he was happy being open about his gender preference and it was that no-holds-bar attitude that had caught the jaded executive's interest t first; not to mention Claude found the lithe boy incredibly irresistible.

He would even go so far to admit that a part of himself was envious of the life Alois had chosen. It was one of joy and self-satisfaction at knowing that his sexuality would never become an issue in his chosen profession. Because if it ever came down between wealth and his own personal happiness, Alois would most definitely take the option where he could be who he was; money be damned. It was this strong inner belief of being true-to-yourself that made Claude fall for the charismatic blonde more than he ever thought he would.

Alois was only meant to be a fun time, someone to fill the lonely void of being in a fake marriage until the next distraction came along. Yet, Claude found himself thinking more and more about him; his own fantasies filled with images of flaxen hair and sky blue eyes. In the end, the only thing he truly regretted was not having more time with Alois and never having told him that he was worth more than just a good time in the sack to the VP.

Letting out a long sigh, Claude opened his eyes and flicked the ashen cigarette away. Thinking about such things was absolutely pointless and the emotional baggage that came with it was just bothersome. He had made his bed, all by his own volition, and now he would lie in it and reap the future financial rewards of his labor.

Pushing his body off the wall, he adjusted his glasses and smoothed down his expensive suit before heading back to the office. A slight rustling sound in the alley caught his attention again for a moment, but Claude shrugged it off as some sort of animal that had made the previous noise earlier. Ready to go back to work, he took a step forward to go out into the street and that's when everything went black.

* * *

"Mmmnnah, Sebastian." Ciel breathed as he pulled his head back for some much needed air, gasping as the now unoccupied mouth made itself useful by sucking on the delicate skin of his throat. Ciel arched his neck, giving Sebastian's eager tongue more access which made the man hum with excitement.

It was their second to last day in Abu Dhabi as they had been in the country for close to a week now. Their meeting with Prince Soma had been successful, having earned the business contract they had been so hoping to get to support the startup of Sebastian and Tanaka's own firm. The prince had been more than happy to assist the men responsible for helping him restore his image by providing the information necessary to show that the failed business had not been his fault. In the end, both parties had left feeling good about the deal and looked forward to a very lucrative partnership.

Tomorrow, Sebastian and Ciel would have a final meeting with the prince and Agni to sign the agreements and contracts necessary to cement the deal. That paperwork had taken about a week to arrange and during that time the two spent their days wandering around the large exotic city, taking in the sights and tastes of a country so different from their own. Ciel had learned that he really liked Middle Eastern cuisine, something he never thought possible since he had never been a fan of anything spicy. However, the aromatic mixes of spices and different ingredients opened up his taste buds to a whole new world of flavors.

During that time, something else surprising happened; Ciel starting initiating intense make out sessions with Sebastian every evening in the hotel. He didn't know what had triggered it, but after that afternoon of heavy petting in the back of the car on their way to meeting Prince Soma, Ciel couldn't get enough of his lover. Every night he would crawl over Sebastian, small thighs straddling the slim hips in only his boxer briefs as he licked, sucked, nibbled and explored to his heart's content. That, or until, the ever patient man couldn't take the teasing anymore and would have to effectively put an end to the young man's fun by 'taking matters into his own hands' in the privacy of a cold shower.

The same scene was playing out this evening; Ciel was whimpering as Sebastian peppered him with light kisses, strong hands resting gently just above the fleshy clothed rump as thin fingers entangled themselves in ebony locks. Neither wore shirts, just clad in their undergarments as the older male let Ciel dominate everything while sitting up top his body. The submissive role didn't bother Sebastian as he knew it made his lover more comfortable seeing as how Ciel still had to move past feeling overpowered every time he was being hovered over by another body.

"Ahhh, teeth." He panted loudly as Sebastian nipped behind his ear, smirking at the request. "Gahh, ssshhhaaahhh!" Ciel whined as a sharp suck caught him off guard, electric sparks running throughout his body at the feeling. Sebastian gave an apologetic lick before pushing him up into a sitting position.

"What?" Ciel pouted in the darkness of the bedroom. The moon hung low in the night sky, its blue light the only illumination in the suite at the moment. Sebastian smiled and raised a hand to cup a small cheek, red eyes soft and warm.

"You are so beautiful, baby." He whispered, thumb rubbing small circles underneath Ciel's usually covered eye. When they were alone he didn't bother wearing his eye patch, choosing instead to walk around with both eyes open; one blue, one violet. He blushed at the compliment and Sebastian chuckled at the fact that he still could be embarrassed by such a simple statement. "I have something for you."

Ciel furrowed his brow in confusion. "What? You didn't have to get me anything, Sebastian." He admonished and his lover chuckled at him again before twisting his body to grab something out of the nightstand.

"Well, it's not so much something I got for you than it is something I am giving back to you." He explained, settling back into his original position. Bicolored eyes watched curiously as Sebastian grabbed his hand, slipping the item onto his thumb. "That is, if you want it back." He spoke softly, nervousness apparent in his tone.

Ciel looked down to see the blue stone ring Sebastian had given him so many months ago. He gasped as he lifted the hand in front of his face, the pale light reflecting off the gem and sparkling. The memory of how he had first gotten the present flowed into Ciel's mind followed by the unfortunate way it had been so ruthlessly given back to Sebastian. A small smile spread over his face and he leaned down to give a quick peck on his lover's lips.

"Of course, I want it back." He grinned, flicking Sebastian's nose lightly. "But what would you like in return for such a priceless price of jewelry?" Ciel purred, lowering his mouth to nibble on the man's earlobe.

Sebastian hummed at the feeling, wrapping his arms tightly around the lithe form over him, hugging Ciel close. He knew what he wanted, but the man never thought he would be asking for it. However, things had changed so much and every fiber of his being reaffirmed the decision and request he was about to make. Closing his eyes, Sebastian bit into his lower lip and moaned as the lips of his lover worked their way from his ear to his jaw and then finally to his mouth.

Ciel dug his fingers into the broad shoulders as Sebastian kissed him, slow and heavy, their bodies pressed flush against one another. He groaned as desire filled him for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, hips unconsciously grinding into Sebastian's. Ciel gasped as he felt his length thicken in his briefs, a fine shiver running down his spine at being so aroused again. His eyes flew wide as panic set in and he struggled to push away. Sebastian released his hold, giving Ciel the space he so obviously needed.

"Sebastian, I-I," He panted, face flushed as his bottom rubbed to the man's own hard covered cock. "I'm sorry. I just can't let you yet. I'm not read-" A finger placed itself over his trembling lips as Sebastian shushed him calmly, red eyes filled with understanding.

"I know, it's OK." He soothed, before pulling him close again and placing a light kiss to his temple. "You're not there yet." Gently caressing the small back with his fingertips, he whispered, "But I am. Ciel, I want you to take me."


	33. Chapter 33

Bicolored eyes blinked several times in disbelief as they stared down at the serious expression on Sebastian's face. Ciel swallowed hard and reminded himself to breathe, lest he pass out. Shaking his head, he was sure that he had misunderstood the simple request that had slipped past Sebastian's lips only moments ago.

"I-I, what?" Ciel forced out, palms flat on the firm chest beneath him as he straddled slender hips. He waited for the man's trademark smirk to appear, telling him that he had only been joking just now. However, he saw nothing, but seriousness in those crimson orbs.

"You heard me." Sebastian reaffirmed, pulling the startled face down to meet his own. "I want you, Ciel. I want you inside me." Trailing kisses from the small jaw up to his ear and whispering. "Make me yours." A shiver ran through Ciel at the sound of those words; hot desire coiling low in his belly.

"I don't know how." He admitted softly, whimpering as his earlobe was being nibbled on lightly. Experienced fingers traced down his back to cautiously land on his rump, grasping the supple mounds and forcing them down so hips ground together. The much needed friction on his aching member made his moan softly, the intense feeling causing a heavy shudder to ripple through his core. "I-ahhh, I've never don-," Words were lost as Sebastian kissed him deeply, the tongue exploring and rolling over the smaller muscle that resided there.

"I know, you've never." Sebastian breathed, breaking the kiss in favor of oxygen. Pressing their foreheads together and forcing Ciel to look at him. "But you've finger fucked me before, this is just the next step." He explained calmly, red eyes pleading. "I want you to do this to me; to have me. Please." Ciel nodded numbly, apprehensive, but also knowing that he couldn't refuse such an asking from the man he loved.

Gradually, he moved himself down Sebastian's body, lips kissing sweetly over defined pectorals and tongue tracing the dips of the toned physique. Ciel hummed approvingly as he listened to the panting breaths overhead and smiled at the quiet moans that became more prominent the lower he went. A faint growl was emitted when he reached the waistband of the black briefs and he bit the exposed hip bone harshly.

"Ahhh, tease" Sebastian hissed, running his fingers into the slate colored hair. "Take it out. Just touch me." He begged, lifting his hips up to assist Ciel in pulling the restraining garments off his body and releasing the rigid flesh trapped within. The heavy cock smacked against the flat abdomen, sticky liquid shining the head and smearing across skin.

Ciel sat up and looked upon the member for a minute, trying to remember the last he had sat between these parted thighs. Glancing up, lustful eyes were lidded with yearning and watching his actions intently, Sebastian's chest rising and falling at a faster than normal pace. Ciel's length twitched at the sight of his lover's needy expression and he smirked a little in amusement at how blatantly the man wanted this; wanted to be dominated by him. A sudden wave of arousal rushed through him at the thought and he leaned forward to encircle slender fingers around the swollen shaft, positioning it upright near his lips. Dual irises locked with ruby as a pink tongue slipped out from between plump lips to dig delicately into the slit; probing and taste the fluid it seeped.

"Oh God!" Sebastian hissed, head flinging back against the pillows and fingers digging into the sheets below. "C-Ciel . . . fuck!" He panted out, eyes screwed shut as he experienced the pleasure brought on by something other than his own hand for the first time in months. "Take, ah, all of it."

Ciel wrapped his lips around the tip, suckling lightly on the slick head before engulfing as much of the heated flesh into his mouth as possible. Bobbing his head steadily in time with his stroking hand, he tasted the bitter-salty mixture again, a unique flavor that he had grown so accustomed to in the past; a combination of saliva and pre-cum dribbling over his fingers and coating them thoroughly.

It was encouraging to hear Sebastian's voice; the way the anxious hips would attempt to push up only to be restrained by Ciel's other hand. He moaned around the flesh in his mouth, his own need now aching and damp between his thighs as he forced himself to concentrate solely on his partner.

"Baby," Sebastian managed to get out, his fingers finding purchase in Ciel's hair once again. "I, ah, I want to feel you . . . Yes!" He gasped, eyes screwing shut as cheeks hollowed out to give a long and hard suck. Pulling on the dark locks to get his attention, "I, nmmm, want to cum together, Ciel." He struggled, whining with regret as the moist cavern let go of him with a low pop. "Not before."

Ciel sat back on his heels, surprised when Sebastian reached down and grabbed his wrist; bringing the slicked fingers to the puckered pink hole and placing the tips at the entrance, rubbing it slowly. The young man's eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the view that was a desperate Sebastian; thighs spread wide, ebony hair plastered with perspiration on the handsome face, cheeks blushing red with heat.

Nibbling on his lower lip, Ciel carefully pushed a digit in, the tight muscles protesting the intrusion. Sebastian lay back, focusing on relaxing his body in preparation for what was to come. As a second finger was added, he groaned in discomfort before a twin hand began to stroke him slowly, doing what it could to combat the painful stretching from the inside. The third one had Sebastian cursing quietly and knuckling the bed sheets, his body trying futilely to adjust.

"You alright?" Ciel asked quietly, concern heavy in his voice as he continued to plunge his fingers in and out of the snug orifice while the other hand caressed the still semi-erect member in tandem, coaxing it back to life. Fingers spread and tips prodded, searching for the elusive spot that would make all this pain worthwhile; a sudden jerking of Sebastian's hips let him know he had found it.

"God!" He moaned, body pushing down and grinding against the small hand before whimpering softly as Ciel brushed over his prostate for a second time. Feeling his release approaching once again, Sebastian reached for the thin wrist, halting the pleasurable ministrations. "St-top, you're going to make me cum." He panted, chuckling at the startled look on Ciel's face.

Removing his extremities from the now prepared hole, Ciel gave a cautious look. "Are you sure you want to keep going?" He asked warily, taking in the reassuring smile on Sebastian's face and not seeing any sign of hesitation. As much as he wanted to do this, he wasn't about to go through with it if the man had any doubts.

"Of course." Long fingers laced through his own; squeezing gently before releasing them. "Take off your briefs." He whispered, eyes burning with all the intensity of man staring at his virgin bride on their wedding night. Ciel complied and neatly slipped off the last item of clothing, his erection springing free and wet with arousal.

Placing himself in front of the lubricated entrance, Ciel gave one last thoughtful glance up; receiving a small smile in return before he took a deep breath and pushed the head into the constricting space. A loud gasp left his lips as he slumped forward a bit; eyes wide at the incredible feeling as another inch disappeared.

"Gahh, it-it's so hot." Ciel breathed, teeth clenched together, "And, ah, tight." Carefully, he nudged some more of himself in, each movement becoming more difficult as the feeling of being sheathed by Sebastian's body overwhelmed him. A heavy panting from above caught his attention and his head snapped up to see his lover's jaw tight with pain. "Sebastian, I-I can stop." Ciel offered, knowing that it was only half true.

"Don't, you, arrrrr, dare." He responded as one hand ripped into the fabric below. "I, hah, just give me a minute." Sebastian struggled, furiously fighting the urge to expel the foreign object impaling his lower half. "Just put it all in." He directed, eyes screwed shut in anticipation of the pain that was about to come.

"No, I don't w-ahhh!" Ciel yelped as a hand quickly shot out and clutched his hip; pulling his body forward and effectively submerging him wholly in the all-encompassing hotness. He groaned at the feeling of being all the way in, his hands resting on Sebastian's abdomen and forehead hovering just above the man's solar plexus. "Fuck." He cursed quietly as he felt fingers twirl into the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Move." A pained voice ordered and Ciel blinked up at the origin of the sound. Sebastian freed the slate colored strands from his clutch and pushed the small shoulder back and up. "Start by rolling your hips; grind into me." He instructed, using whatever little amount of composure he had left. "Hold yourself up on my quads."

Ciel nodded, placing his hands where they should be and shifting his weight back onto his knees. He winced as Sebastian's body gripped his member tighter when he tried to move. "I can't move." He argued, face blanching with alarm. "I can't do it, it's too tight." Thin legs trembled as Ciel tried to think of a way to solve the current dilemma. "Sebastian! I'm going to hurt you!" He cried out, panic evident in his voice as nails bit into the pale thighs he was using for support.

Instantly, Sebastian pulled the shivering form to him, strong arms wrapping around and holding him close. Ciel buried his face into the crook of the man's neck, willing the fear away. Sebastian gave a frustrated sigh as he rubbed small circles into the small back, soothing sounds being whispered into the small ear.

"You can do this, Ciel." He fortified, the young man lifting his head to look at him. Sebastian gave a soft peck on the fretful mouth, fingers stroking the soft hair around his face. "My body is yours. I'm giving you free reign to do with it as you like, because you already control everything else in my life; my heart, my mind, my soul." Ciel's mouth fell open, heart beating fiercely as he listened to the impassioned admission. "Use my body to show how much you love me."

He gasped as their lips met, molding to one another as Sebastian licked and sucked violently on the already swollen mouth. Fingers begged for purchase on their bodies, holding desperately to any part that might give one of them the upper hand. Breaking for air, Ciel sat up, eyes wild with lust as he stared down at the panting man below.

A trickle of confidence ran through him, the words having just been spoken sinking in and coinciding with the writhing mess of want laid out before him. For the first time in their entire relationship, Ciel was in control of their intimate coupling. Every single thing he did could either tease his partner mercilessly or give him insurmountable pleasure. It was up to him and him alone. Of course Sebastian was allowing himself to be dominated by the younger of the two, but the thrill of knowing that he had the upper hand for once was intoxicating. Power, dominance, control; it was a heady potent mixture and a slow smile spread over Ciel's face as he gave into it; fear and trepidation set aside for now.

Gripping the spread thighs and pushing himself upright as Ciel rolled and ground his slender hips into the hot center. Sebastian groaned quietly as the motion caused some discomfort in his lower half, red eyes locking with determined indigo. He noticed the change in the posture of his lover; the squared shoulders and straight back, the sense of authority that seemed to emanate from him now; anxiety all, but gone. Ciel pulled out slowly halfway before slamming himself back in, grunting at the amazing feeling.

"Ahhhh." He hissed, watching how the action made Sebastian pant. "Cum for me." Ciel ordered, thrusting in and out rough rapid movements. "I want to hear you scream my name, Sebastian." Jerking forward, his swollen head brushed over the sweet bundle of nerves bringing on a loud moan. "I won't stop until you do."

"Y-yes," Sebastian breathed, back arching sharply as another pass was made deep within. "F-fuck, Ciel! Harder!" He cried out, hands ripping into his own scalp from the pure pleasure he was experiencing.

Heavy gasps and pants filled the room along with the unmistakable sound of skin slapping against skin. Ciel's labored breathing was only eclipsed by the loud moans and whimpers from Sebastian, the taut body moving in synch with every push and pull. Fingers dug into sinuous flesh as he increased his pace, garnering more curses and garbled versions of the Lord's name. Ciel watched the beautiful sight of Sebastian unraveling from his touches; long legs trembling from the strain of being stretched back so far, the rise and fall of a taut torso as it struggled to keep enough oxygen flowing, the way that lovely mouth fell open to emit such harmonious sounds.

Throwing his head back, Ciel closed his eyes and just listened to the noises around them, feeling the body at his command. Each thrust pushed him closer to the edge and the sound of Sebastian's wanton cries, begging to him for his release had the young man's head swimming. The burning sensation in his belly increased with the faster tempo of his hips and spread throughout his thighs; making his body push harder itself to reach that blissful edge.

"Ahh, I-I, Seb-ahh," He moaned, sweat dripping off his locks onto the calves of the legs around his waist. "Cummnnaaah, I can't." Ciel whined, his pace faltering as he sprinted headlong into awaiting ecstasy.

"Not yet!" Sebastian spat in between ragged breaths, reaching down and fisting his bouncing erection. The dual stimulation had him almost screaming as he fought to catch up to his lover. "Ju-ah, a little longer." He coughed, jerking the angry cock hard and fast, red eyes rolling back into his head as he came. "Ciel! Oh Fuck!" Sebastian screamed, the thick pleasure spurting over them.

Abused muscles spasmed around Ciel, the sensations making him cum almost immediately. "Sebast – God! Oh my God!" He wailed as he fell into euphoria the likes of which he had never known before. Ciel continued to milk his dick in the sensitive hole, his warm seed filling the cavern until he could no longer support his own weight.

Completely exhausted, Ciel collapsed onto Sebastian's sweaty chest, nuzzling his face into the damp neck and panting. Light kisses trailed their way up to red lips before enveloping them in a deep kiss, his fingers running through the wet black hair. He shivered as the cold air accosted his naked back before Sebastian's arms wrapped around, crushing the lithe form against his own.

"I love you." Ciel breathed in between kisses. "I love you. I love you. I love you." He choked out, swallowing quickly to hide the sounds of his tears. Ciel pressed himself even closer before being rolled over onto his side, wet lashes blinking rapidly in an attempt to see clearly.

Sebastian grimaced as the now flaccid member slipped out of him followed by an uncomfortable sticky liquid coating his inner thighs. As much as the feeling was a nuisance, he ignored it in favor of lavishing attention on his partner. Staring into Ciel's face, he reached up and caressed the swell of his cheek with the back of his knuckles.

"I love you too." He murmured, voice heavy with sentiment. Rubbing his thumb under the violet eye, Sebastian gathered up the wetness that clung to the delicate lashes. "Why you crying?" He leaned in to place a light kiss to the small forehead, feeling Ciel shudder from the powerful emotions coursing through him.

"I just," he struggled, trying to find the right words to explain his feelings. Wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, Ciel laced his fingers through Sebastian's. "Thank you." The man's brow furrowed in confusion at the statement as he continued. "For everything. Everything you've done for me. For loving me. For still wanting me even after all that's happened." Sighing, Sebastian pulled him close to his chest, Ciel turning his head to listen to the strong heartbeat.

"Silly. Don't you remember?" He chuckled as he felt the slate bangs shake 'no' on his bare skin. "I told you a long time ago that there was no way I wouldn't want you. That hasn't changed." Sebastian looked down at the upward tilted face, cobalt-violet irises bright and searching for the honesty that they found in the man's expression. "We should get some sleep." He suggested, shifting onto his back and taking Ciel with him. The young man yawned as he snuggled into the protective embrace, lids heavy with much needed slumber.

Sebastian waited until a soft snore fell from Ciel's lips, signaling that he was peacefully asleep before resting his head back on the pillow. Sighing, he stared into the darkness of the room, mind working through what was to happen tomorrow. "Get your rest, baby." Sebastian whispered to the sleeping form on his chest. "You're going to need it. For tomorrow, you will finally have closure."

* * *

 

The soft rustling of papers followed by the gentle scratching of a pen filled the large conference room. Four men sat at one end of the long table as contracts were being signed and notarized; solidifying the deal that had been struck only a week ago in this very spot. When the final signature had been written out, duplicates were made and each party received their own copy of what now legally tied them together.

"So, what time is your flight tomorrow?" Prince Soma inquired, stretching as he leaned back in his chair. Sebastian and Agni went about placing the documents into folders quietly, their minds seemingly solely focused on the task at hand.

Ciel smiled at the prince, having grown somewhat fond of him, in spite of himself over the past few days. Soma may have been a naive rich kid, but he still was a good person who had other people's interests in mind, even if that didn't seem to be the case up front most of the time.

"Early." He grumbled in response, shooting Sebastian a slight glare. "Always, really, really early." Ciel huffed as he sat back, crossing his arms over his chest. He was looking forward to returning home; as much as he had enjoyed his time here in Abu Dhabi, the States were calling his name and beckoning him back to the familiar.

"What do you plan on doing for the rest of the day? It's only one, now." Soma grinned, golden eyes sparkling at that thought of shirking his responsibilities in favor of doing something more entertaining with his new business partners.

"Master Soma, you have marketing meeting in half an hour." Agni calmly informed, earning him a pouty look from the prince. "And we still have the small matter of upholding our end of the agreement to attend to." A knowing look was passed between them before Soma nodded, his expression changing from one of exuberance to steely professional.

"Of course." He agreed, standing up and smoothing his jacket. Sebastian and Ciel did the same, seeing as how the meeting was officially coming to an end. Soma reached out and shook each of their hands as he spoke. "It was a pleasure meeting you both and I hope that this partnership will be a profitable one." Walking to the door, Agni held it open as they passed through and out into the hallway.

"I will see to it that the previously decided on agreement is reached in full, master." Agni declared, bowing respectfully to the prince. "Afterwards, I will return and give you my report."

"Yes, that will be fine." Soma hummed before turning his attention towards Ciel. "Remember, this deal we struck was something that Sebastian specifically requested." A blue eye narrowed at the admission, sliding over to see what his partner's reaction was to the statement. Sebastian's face remained blank, his demeanor calm as he listened to the prince speak. "It struck us as odd, I admit." He continued. "But after hearing your story and meeting you, Ciel. I understand completely why he asked for this in exchange for the information you presented to us."

Ciel blinked in confusion, his mind trying to wrap around what was not being told to him at the moment. The elusive other side of the deal was back in the forefront of the conversation; something Sebastian had set into motion long before they left for the Middle East in connection with the embezzlement from Soma's company. At long last, Ciel was finally going to find out what it was that he had been kept in the dark about up until now.

"Thanks, I'll remember tha-ahhh!" He yelped as Soma engulfed him in another signature bone-crushing hug and sending them tumbling back into Sebastian's frame. The man steadied the two and the prince released his new friend, smiling sheepishly at the outcome of his embrace.

"Sorry, I get carried away sometimes." He blushed, looking incredibly embarrassed from his less than professional actions. Agni walked over and whispered something into his master's ear, the words making him smile. "Ahh, but I do have to be going now. We will talk later, yes?" Sebastian gave a quick nod before Soma walked away, waving and wishing them a good flight.

Ciel shot a skeptical look up, daring Sebastian to meet his eyes. The man ignored the poignant stare in favor of talking to Agni. "So, shall we?" He suggested, to which the bodyguard nodded before starting down the hall. Ciel ground his teeth together in annoyance, knowing that Sebastian was doing everything possible to not let him ask any questions right now.

Once seated in the black limo, Ciel glared at Sebastian relentlessly, his eye burning a hole into the man's skull with intensity of it. Agni settled himself into the opposite row so that he could face the two men after he had given the driver instructions to their supposed destination in his native language. When the vehicle began to move, Ciel couldn't hold his temper any longer, unleashing his pent up frustration on the one sitting next to him.

"Alright! Now tell me where the hell we are going and what the second part of this goddamn deal is!" He yelled, fingers grabbing the lapels on Sebastian's suit and forcing him to acknowledge the inquiry. Looking into the crimson orbs, Ciel's face softened as he whimpered, "You can't always keep me in the dark about things, Sebastian. Look at what happened the last time you did; we almost lost each other."

Sebastian stared into the pleading blue iris, seeing desperation reflecting back at him. Carefully, he removed the clutching fingers from his person, gently placing the hands into the small lap and patting them reassuringly with his own. Clearing his throat, Sebastian took a deep breath, knowing that the word placement of his answer would be critical.

"Ciel, the Prince's end of the deal was something I asked for explicitly for you." He began slowly, gauging the young man's reaction carefully. "The information you uncovered gave me the leverage necessary to proceed with my plans." Ciel gave him a confused look, but remained silent in order to hear everything out. "I didn't tell you what it entailed because I wasn't sure if it was necessary for you to be involved until recently." Sebastian glanced over at Agni who calmly sat a foot or two away, watching quietly as the conversation unfolded.

"I don't understand." Ciel stated, brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of the explanation. "If you weren't sure if I should be included then what made you change your mind?" Color drained from his face as realization swept over him. "That's why you brought me instead of Tanaka, isn't it?" Ciel whispered, mouth gaping open at the epiphany. "You wanted me here to be a part of whatever this deal is, right?" Sebastian pressed his lips into a thin line, confirming the theory.

Ripping his hands away, Ciel glared at the man, anger radiating from his core. This was such a Sebastian thing to do; thinking he knew what was best and acting on it without informing his partner of the events. Even if it was in Ciel's best interest, he couldn't keep putting up with this sort of thought process anymore; something had to be said.

"What the fuck?" He snapped loudly, Sebastian sitting back in shock of the outburst. "You cannot keep doing this, Sebastian! You have to tell me things! I am not some fragile little boy who you need to protect from life's horrors." Reaching up, Ciel cupped the strong jaw in his palm and licked his lips. "I'm your partner, Sebastian. Together we are two halves to a whole and together we need to support and trust one another." Pulling the face down to him, foreheads touched and he breathed, "Just like last night; trust in me that I'm strong enough to be your equal like that again." Ciel closed the space between them, kissing Sebastian softly and letting his words sink in.

Small fingers ran themselves through silky black locks, as long arms wrapped around the slight shoulders. Time seemed to stop as the two embraced, anger and guilt melding together to form a passionate bond. Ciel moaned quietly as he let his emotions take over and let Sebastian roll his tongue into the awaiting mouth. He could be passive, let him control the kiss, but he could not let him control his life and make decisions for him. The balancing out of power had begun and it still had a ways to go; however, Ciel could be patient and allow it to even out on its own. Because at the end of the day, he needed Sebastian and Sebastian needed Ciel, together they would find a way to make it work.

A low cough had them breaking their union and Ciel looked over to a red faced Agni giving them what could be considered a disapproving look. "Sorry." The young man apologized, blushing as he pushed himself off Sebastian. He risked a quick glance at his lover, blushing again as he noticed the playful smirk that rested on the freshly kissed lips.

"There is no need, Master Ciel." Agni assured politely before turning his head to look out the window. "Anyways, we have arrived." He stated as the car slowed down, finally stopping outside a large isolated warehouse.

The three exited the vehicle and the pair followed the bodyguard into the building through a large iron door. Ciel blinked several times as he tried to adjust his eye to the extreme contrast of the bright sun outside to the dim atmosphere of the massive space. He quickly took in their surroundings; the high ceilings and large wooden crates stacked up in neat rows with shipping labels taped the sides. He knew immediately that they were in some sort of international processing facility far away the main city of Abu Dhabi, but he had no clue as to why.

They continued to follow behind their guide; quick steps keeping in time with Sebastian's long strides. Ciel chanced a peek up at the man's face, only to see a blank expression; red eyes facing forward as they entered a small hallway and began a descent into a cool, dark underground area. Once on level ground, Agni made his way into another hall, this one completely void of any illumination except for industrial lights that appeared every ten feet or so overhead.

The journey ceased as they stopped in front a steel door, the frame welded directly into the stone wall that the rest of the hallway was constructed from. Agni removed what looked to be a pass card and swiped it through the electronic pad next to the door handle. A tiny bulb on the lock switched from red to green and a loud clicking sound signaled the card had been accepted. Grasping the knob, the man opened it an inch before glancing back over his shoulder.

"Please wait here for a moment." Agni requested, grey eyes serious. "I will get you once I have confirmed that everything is in place." Opening the heavy barrier, he walked through, the dense metal closing swiftly behind him with a resounding bang.

"Sebastian?" Ciel spoke lowly, looking around nervously as if he was afraid they were being monitored. "What did you ask for from these people? Nuclear warheads? Is that why we are in the subterranean bunker?" Sebastian turned to face him straight on, his gaze soft and sincere as he reached up to tuck a slate bang behind the small ear.

They stood in silence, neither speaking because neither knew where to start. Sebastian drank in the beauty that was Ciel; memorizing each and every detail as if it were the last time he would ever see him again. The intense inspection frightened his lover and he let out a frustrated whine to release some of the thick tension between them.

"What I did, all of this, it was for you." He explained softly, cupping the small chin in both hands and tipping the perplexed face up. "You asked me to trust in you just now." Sebastian took a deep breath, crimson orbs burning with trepidation. "Now I need you to trust in me the same way. This is was all set into motion for you and you alone." Ciel nodded, searching Sebastian's eyes, desperately trying to figure out the last piece of the puzzle that had been carefully hidden from him for so long.

"I do." He breathed, encircling the firm wrists with small fingers. "I do trust you, Sebastian." Ciel swallowed hard, the not knowing becoming unbearable. Pushing up on his toes, he spoke against the man's mouth, "Now, show me what it is that I am placing my trust in you for." Closing the space, their lips met in a soft, earnest kiss. The sound of the door opening pulled them from the sweet moment and they turned their heads to see Agni standing in the open doorway.

"We are ready." He informed simply, stepping aside so the two could walk past him. Sebastian laced their fingers together as proceeded into the dark space, the ominous clanging of the door sounding much like the closing of a tomb to Ciel. "You remember the agreement, Mister Michaelis?" Agni reminded as they came to a stop.

"Yes, of course." Sebastian agreed, squeezing the joined hands a little tighter. Ciel squinted, barely able to make out something in the center of the room, wondering what was to be revealed once the lights came on. Agni hummed in approval and flipped a switch on the wall, bringing light to the once black space and blinding everyone momentarily.

Ciel rubbed his fist into his one good eye, eager to have his vision adjust so he could finally see what Sebastian had found so important as to ask for the deal in the first place. The outline in the room started to come into focus and his jaw fell open in shock, breath hitching in his throat as all the blood drained from his face.

A figure sat tied to a chair, a solitary bulb hanging overhead in the center and flickering. The person was slumped forward, the expensive suit wrinkled and dirty from days of being worn. Ebony bangs obscured the face of the man, as well as the position of his hanging head; however, upon the brilliance of the light, he stirred and groaned in pain. Slowly, the neck righted itself and golden eyes glared murderously through cracked spectacles at his visitors.


	34. Chapter 34

Large aquamarine orbs stared back from a mirror; blonde bangs flopped carelessly against a pale forehead as hands grabbed the porcelain sink tightly. If the eyes were the windows to the soul then Alois's would be screaming 'Oh God, oh God, what do I do now?' His face blanched a little more at the prospect of not being able to come up with a decent answer to that question and he swallowed down the panic that was quickly building up inside. Regardless of his present situation, Alois couldn't argue that the day had started out wonderfully.

He had met up with Luka at Ess-a-Bagel in Stuyvesant that morning so he could introduce the transplant to the wonders of having an authentic New York bagel. The air was crisp and breezy as the two walked uptown while munching on their breakfast, discussing where they would be going. Alois had planned to give Luka a quick tour of the city, starting with a stroll through Herald's Square where they would visit the iconic Macy's store and gape upwards at the foot of the Empire State Building.

They spent most of the day wandering around Central Park, visiting various landmarks and watching performers juggle and draw portraits of willing people passing by. The conversation never stopped, always light hearted and teasing, the two laughed at each other's stories and random references to things that they passed.

Even though Alois was having a great time smiling and joking, he felt incredibly anxious the entire day. As he waited for Luka outside the bagel shop, he convinced himself that the only reason he had found him so attractive in the first place was because he was in a different country; therefore creating an exotic, mysterious appeal. However, that theory was quickly dashed when Alois laid eyes on the redhead again, his heart skipping a beat with excitement.

Determined to figure out whether he had any chance whatsoever with his crush, the older of the two stayed on high alert for any hint that Luka might be gay. Alois watched discreetly as he made comments about the toned, shirtless joggers in the park to see what his reaction was, but the younger just hummed in response before making an off the wall comment that had both of them in giggles. There were light touches between them; a brushing of the hands here or a whispering in an ear there, yet there was never any contact that confirmed or denied Luka's sexual preference.

In the late afternoon, they were forced back to the NYU dorms when a sudden, violent thunderstorm hit. The young men sprinted back from Washington Square Park, breathless and soaking wet from their hurried escape from the elements outdoors. Luka had given Alois a towel and pointed him towards the restroom so he could dry off a bit. Which is what lead to the blonde's present situation of hanging over the sink in the men's room; drawing out every moment as to postpone going back to Luka's dorm room.

What terrified Alois the most was the prospect of being rejected. He would be hanging out in a room, with a bed, alone with the one person who had been fueling his fantasies for months now. It didn't help that dreams in those, Luka was oh, so good at the things they did together. Up until this moment, Alois could still lie to himself that the kid was gay and the connection they had was deeper than just friendship; however, if he went back to that room and nothing happened, two things would be made pretty clear. One, Luka wasn't into guys or two, he just wasn't into Alois; neither outcome sat well with the blonde.

Splashing some cold water on his face, Alois forced himself to perk up. He couldn't very well hide in the bathroom for the rest of the day and eventually Luka would come looking for him. Grabbing the towel and drying off, Alois left his inner sanctum and trudged back to the room with high hopes and low expectations. Pausing in front of the door, he closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath before turning the knob and stepping through.

Alois glanced around the small space to find Luka sprawled out one of the two beds, his arms folded behind his head as he gazed up at the ceiling. The sound of his friend's entrance had dark gray eyes looking over as a smile spread over his adorable face.

"You dry enough?" Luka asked, patting the area on the mattress next to him and scooting over a bit. "Come lay down and we'll listen so some stuff." Alois nodded and shuffled over, his stomach doing flip flops at the idea of getting snuggle close to his crush.

He stiffly arranged his body on the bed, making sure not to touch Luka too much. The request to hang out together on his bed seemed like a flirty invite, but then again, the kid could just really like listening to his playlist while being comfortable. Alois turned to the window to see the heavy raindrops trickle down the smooth glass, thunder still rolling the background.

"It's still really bad out." He commented, sliding his attention back to the boy next to him. Alois could smell the fresh scent of Luka's shampoo on the pillowcase and it took all his willpower not to shove his face into the fabric and inhale deeply.

"I like thunderstorms." He replied, still staring up at the ceiling. "There is just something really romantic about the rain. It's like the sky is crying, you know?" Alois nodded, thinking again that it was bit of an odd thing to say. He closed his eyes and listened to the soothing music that filled the room.

"Mmmm, this is nice. Who is it?" He mumbled, relaxing into the slow rhythm and intoxicating notes. Light beats dropped into the melody as a graceful voice caressed each stanza. Alois let out a happy sigh, feeling safe and warm, the previous apprehension slowly melting away.

"It's Fiest  _Fire in the Water_." Luka answered softly, shifting onto his side and propping his head up on his hand. "Alois, can I ask you something?" The blonde glanced over and followed suit, rolling himself into a similar position so their faces mirrored one another.

"Sure." Alois breathed, heart racing as he realized just how close they were now. The distance between them only a few inches because of the narrow mattress andit would be so easy to just lean in and steal a quick kiss, but Alois forced his body to stay still.

"Do you, um, do you like me?" Luka whispered, blushing as he averted his gaze momentarily. Small fingers pick at the comforter, distracting himself as he waited for an answer.

Alois's jaw dropped at the inquiry, wondering if he had just imagined it. "I-I, of course I like you." He stuttered, not sure where this was headed. A little voice in the back of his mind warned him that it didn't sound like a promising start to a confession of love. "Do you not like me?" He squeaked out timidly.

"Oh, yeah! I do. A lot." Luka reinforced quickly, gray locking onto blue. "I just, I was wondering," a long breath released as he summed up the courage for what he was about to say. "If I like you and you like me, then why haven't you kissed me yet?" Alois's heart stopped for a full second at the question, eyes wide with shock.

"I-I-" He managed to get out as small fingers made their way to the nape of his neck, twirling in the soft fair hair. Alois felt himself being pulled toward Luka's face and he closed his eyes at the last second to meet a pair of pink lips. He tasted candy on the eager mouth that nipped playfully at his own and he delighted into the effortless way their bodies molded into one another.

The rain continued to pour outside as two soul mates explored all the things that made each of them special. A new love, pure and simple, bloomed underneath an angry sky creating an unbreakable bond in a world where so few found happiness. Past sins and regrets were washed away with light kisses and gentle touches as the day turned into night and then into dawn; signaling the start of not only a new day, but of a new life together.

* * *

Time stood still; the earth halted in its rotation and everything stopped for a split second the moment those golden eyes looked up past rimless spectacles and locked with the vision of a singular blue orb. The sound of a rapid heartbeat thundered through his temples and Ciel actually had to remind himself to take a breath. The forced involuntary action snapping reality back into place and the world continued forward as if nothing had happened.

"Claude." He managed quietly, eye wide with horror. Hands clenching into tight fists at his side as he took in the sight of the man he had deemed a monster in his mind for so long now. Ciel was only minutely aware that Sebastian had moved closer behind him, the man's presence comforting and unnerving all at the same time.

"I should have known it was you." Claude hissed, a hacking cough almost cutting him off at the end. He shifted his weight so that he was sitting up straight; shoulders slumping to alleviate some of the stiffness coming from his hands being restrained behind his back on the wooden chair. "No one else would go through so much trouble just to gag and kidnap me other than you, Michaelis." He admitted, staring past Ciel and directly at his former colleague.

Sebastian placed a reassuring hand on Ciel's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze as he walked past to stand about two feet in front of Claude. Red eyes were cold, the handsome face wiped clean of any emotion as he tilted his head to look down at the executive. Sebastian calmly placed his hands into his pants pockets; patiently waiting for Claude to proceed with the conversation.

"So was this your grand plan? Bribe the Middle Eastern mafia to black bag me and hold me captive for you?" He sneered, vemon lacing every syllable. "You do realize eventually someone will come looking for me, right?" Claude informed, grunting as he pulled against the handcuffs around his wrists. "There are people who will expect me to come home, like my wife and my coworkers will call the police if I don't show up after awhile." Sebastian shook his head at the argument.

"Really now, Faustus." He scoffed. "Let us not be foolish. You and I both know that Hannah won't miss your presence in the slightest." Leaning down a fraction, Sebastian smirked. "In fact, she might actually be glad if you didn't come back. She could claim you as being deceased and collect on your massive life insurance policy." He chuckled as Claude grit his teeth and growled lowly. "As for FPE, well, let's just say that they think you've been working on a deal down here with KOI and will be out of touch for awhile." Turning and making his way back to Ciel, Sebastian glanced over his shoulder, " Isn't that right, Mister Agni?"

The white-haired man who had been silently waiting in the corner now stepped forward, bowing at the waist as he addressed the inquiry. "That is correct." He agreed, up righting himself and clasping his hands behind his back. "It seems that Prince Soma Kadar has had a change of heart and decided to give FPE another shot; starting with negotiations with their previous contact at the company." Agni quirked an eyebrow at Claude who narrowed his eyes at the man. "However, I think we all know those talks will not go anywhere."

"There will be an investigation to my disappearance." Claude informed confidently. "At some point, someone will come asking questions and when they find me, they will find you." He motioned his head at the trio. "You'll be thrown in jail for the rest of your lives. You and everyone associated with this little ploy you have going here." Golden eyes flashed angrily at the bodyguard, the threat clearly written across his face.

Agni shook his head negatively. "I apologize, but you are incorrect." Claude blinked rapidly at the man, indignation written clearly over his face. "Prince Soma Asman Kadar is the 26th son to the king of this country; therefore, he has the ability to grant diplomatic immunity to whomever he wishes." Pausing a moment, he continued. "So anything that Mister Sebastian and Master Ciel do while here within the boundaries of the king's land, no prosecution for those actions will be sought domestically or internationally." Cocking his head to the side and giving a polite smile to the irritated prisoner, "As for finding you; the dessert has miles and miles of unexplored wasteland where no one would ever dream to search for a piece of garbage like you, Mister Faustus." Claude let out a frustrated cry, his body jerking violently as he tried to break free of his constraints.

"So what the fuck do you plan to do to me, Michaelis?' He barked madly, arms quivering from the effort of placing muscle against steel. "You going to torture me, hm? Cut me up into bits and take my foot or maybe a hand as payment for what I did to your precious little bitch?" Eyes flared bright with rage as he screamed, "If that's the case, then get on with it you stupid git!" A strangled cry filled the room as long fingers gripped the wagging chin and Sebastian was suddenly hovering over the man, his stance tense as fury shook his tall frame.

Ciel watched in disbelief as to what was happening, his mind barely registering what was going on. One minute Sebastian was next to him and the next he had Claude's face in a vice-like grip, pushing the captive man back so that the chair teetered dangerously on its back two legs. Ciel forced himself to take quick shallow breaths; unable to move or react he continued to observe the scene unfolding before him.

"Now you listen to me, Faustus." Sebastian almost cooed, blood red eyes dark and cold. "I would like nothing more than to cut off your pathetic excuse for a dick and shove it so far up your ass that you can taste your own cum." He breathed, fingers tightening further and threatening to break the jaw he held. "But that still wouldn't give you the tiniest inkling of what it felt like for Ciel when you raped and beat him." Sebastian released his prey, letting the chair slam itself on the ground again on all four legs. "However, I didn't go through all this trouble to set up a deal and have you brought here just to sate my own need for revenge. That would be too simple and in the end, your fate should not be up to me." Crossing his arms over his chest, Sebastian gave the despicable man a serious look.

"So whipped." Claude chuckled darkly, causing the man to stand still and listen. "So powerful and full of potential. Do you know I once considered you my competition?" Gold pierced murderously into crimson; his form shaking with the wrath that emanated from his core. "And you threw it all away on a pair of eagerly spread thighs and a tight ass." Sebastian's jaw clenched at the venomous words, the reaction making Claude smirk. "I hate to tell you this, but I've fucked better in my time." A clap of thunder roared throughout the room as the back of Sebastian's hand made contact with Claude's face.

The prisoner's head recoiled sharply as the force of the impact almost knocked him over. Ciel choked on a breath the second his lover swung around and the powerful momentum made deadly impact with its target. Claude slumped over to the side, shaking his head as the glasses he had been wearing now lay shattered on the floor and his vision swam from Sebastian's assault.

"Don't you dare." He seethed through gritted teeth, ruby eyes intense with hatred. Sebastian stood over the limp body, fists tight next to him as fought with himself not to choke the man to death with his own two hands this very moment. "Ciel is the reason I didn't end up like you; devoid of love or emotion. A putrid pile of hate and self-loathing; the only thing keeping you sane is your relentless drive for money and power." Stepping back, he forced some composure to surface, lest he lose all control. "I feel nothing, but pity for you, Claude Faustus. You sold your soul for wealth and the devil of greed gave it to you, but one day he will come to collect and in the end, you will be all alone and not a single being on this earth will shed a tear when you are gone." Sebastian smirked as Claude glared up at him, a bright pink spot darkening on the swell of his cheek from where the man had hit him.

Satisfied, he turned on his heel to walk back to his stunned lover, Ciel gaping up at the man who now stood by his side again. Long fingers reached out to gently cup the small chin, a warm smile dancing across Sebastian's mouth as he gazed back into the questioning depth of blue. Leaning down, he rested their foreheads together and closing his eyes to breathe deeply through his nose.

"This is what I kept from you." Sebastian whispered, tone thick with emotion. "Nothing is more important to me than your happiness. I want, no, I live to see you smile." Ciel swallowed hard and wrapped his arms around a slim waist, pulling their bodies closer together. "The only way you will truly be able to move past this is if you confront the man who haunts your memories and steals your smiles from me." His voice caught, eyes squeezing tightly as he fought back the tears that threatened to flow. "I had to hide this part of the agreement because I knew you would never agree to it even if it was for you own good." Sebastian released a shaky breath as he pleaded his case. "I wasn't trying to protect you, but instead, help you in your recovery. Forgive me for this, Ciel." A tender kiss was placed on pleading lips and Sebastian gasped in disbelief of feeling the young man's response.

"Shhhh, don't say such silly things." Ciel breathed before kissing him again. "The only reason I smile is because of you, Sebastian, and the only thing that brings me true happiness is being by your side." He drew back so he could search the wet garnet orbs. "I always know that you have my best interests in mind and you never have to ask for my forgiveness because I will always give it to you." Ciel gave a small smile, the gesture was returned with affection. "I love you too much to ever let you slip through my fingers again over something as petty as you caring too much." Sebastian let out a long breath, pulling the small body to him and hugging him fiercely.

"Thank you." He managed to get out while dusting the crown of Ciel's head with light kisses. They stood together for a while, embracing one another, enjoying the warmth and love that seemed to pass between them and giving each of them strength. Finally, Sebastian spoke. "What would you like to do, Ciel?"

"Hm?" He mumbled, snuggling his face further into the firm chest. Ciel was more than happy to just stay here in the protective arms of his lover. "What do you mean?" Sebastian pushed away a bit so he could look into the disappointed face.

"Here, with this." He motioned a hand around the room. "We can leave now, if you like and leave Claude to whatever other punishments that Soma and Agni have conjured up." Ciel chewed nervously on his lower lip, indecisiveness apparent in his expression. "Or, you can have your moment to say or do anything that you like. There are no restrictions and no consequences for your actions here." He glanced around the tall body, seeing the slight nod elicited by Agni in agreement to the statement.

Ciel turned his gaze towards the figure in the chair, his attacker staring at the ground. He was divided on what to do; his desires pulling him in two completely opposite directions. Part of Ciel wanted revenge; the need to see the man who objectified him and stole not only his pride, but self-worth, bleeding and begging for mercy boiling in his veins. It was an intoxicating idea to turn the tables and repay the unthinkable acts done to him; however, the realization that he could find any enjoyment in someone else's suffering frightened Ciel. He didn't want to be a slave to that overpowering emotion and in the end it would make him no better than Claude.

The other half begged Ciel to just leave now; to take Sebastian's hand and walk out the steel door, never to look back. They could go on with their lives; just the two of them and never speak of this moment ever again. He would find a way to move past his trauma with therapy and maybe in a few years he would be pretty much healed. The problem was that neither of those options alone seemed to the right one for the young man. Shaking his head, he dropped his arms to his sides and sighed loudly.

"I want to stay." Ciel stated calmly, raising his head to gauge Sebastian's reaction. "I want to talk to him; alone." The man opened his mouth to protest, but he pressed on. "This is most likely the only chance I will ever get and it's something I want to do without you watching over me." Ciel was resolute in his command and Sebastian knew there would be no deterring him from this decision now.

Nodding in understanding, he placed a light peck to Ciel's cheek before turning to Agni and signaling that the man should follow him out of the room. The young man watched them leave; the last thing he saw was a glimpse of worried red before the steel door shut with an ominous clanging sound. The noise was deafening and Ciel took a deep breath; steadying himself for what he was about to face when he turned around.

* * *

Ignorance is bliss, the adage is true for some many things in life; the less you know, the less you have to worry about or contend yourself with. In Ciel's case, he would have loved to have stayed ignorant to all the pain and suffering he had been made to endure the past few months. Before he entered the corporate realm dripping with deceit and prejudice he had always seen the world as a sort of place that had its share of problems; however, there wasn't any issue that couldn't be solved with understanding and compassion. People weren't actually evil, but instead were acting out in defense as cry for help and no one would honestly hurt another human being just for the sake of watching that person suffer. That naive attitude no longer existed in the young man's mind and the reason for his change of perception had everything to do with the man sitting restrained in the chair behind him now.

Turning around slowly, Ciel lifted his gaze to the figure a few yards away. Forcing steady breaths, he attempted to come to grips with the fact that he was currently alone in a room with the only person he could honestly say he had ever truly hated in his entire life. Clenching his fists at his sides, Ciel took a step forward, the sound startling Claude and causing his head to snap up, golden orbs glaring at the approach. He froze in place, blue locked with yellow, cautiously sizing up one another.

"Finally, alone at last." Claude coughed out as a small line of red trickled from the side of the twisted mouth and down his chin. "No interruptions, just the way Michaelis wanted it for you." He tilted his head, indicating to the current space they inhabited. "He went through a great deal of trouble to set this all up so you could face me, man to man, so to speak." Ciel swallowed hard and took another step, willing himself to stay composed.

"He did." He affirmed quietly, body tense for any threatening action. "Sebastian didn't tell me though. If I had known that I would have to see you again, I don't know if I would have come along. Either way, being alone with you was my choice." Ciel squared his shoulders, attempting to seem poised instead of petrified. A low chuckle echoed throughout the space and his brow furrowed at the sound. "What's so funny?"

Claude let out long sigh before shaking his head. "You; trying to be a man when you still let your lover dictate your life. Telling you where to go and what to do, deciding what is best for you." Golden eyes bore into Ciel, a cruel smirk forming. "You're not a man, Ciel Phantomhive, but a scared little boy dressing up in big boy's clothing and playing make believe."

"I-I . . ." Ciel stammered, his composure wavering as the words flared up insecurities hidden deep within his psyche. "No, Sebastian just knew that I wou-"

"Oh, come off it!" Claude snapped viciously. "Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me that you don't wish that your white knight would come rushing through that door right at this moment and save you from the decision you just made?" He leaned as far forward as the restraints allowed. "You can pretend to be strong as much as you like, Phantomhive, but remember this, I saw what you were like when Michaelis wasn't around to protect you." Ciel took in a sharp breath, face paling at the comment.

"I watched you beg for mercy and cry beneath me. You whined like a little bitch when I shoved my dick into your tight hole and collapsed from sheer exhaustion when I was done with you." He reminded cruelly, sitting up in his seat and getting comfortable as he gloated. "You were so pliable in my hands, your body practically sucking me in. I think you secretly enjoyed it, seeing as how you didn't put up much of a fight."

"Shut up." Ciel ordered softly, gaze dropping down to stare at his feet. "I did fight back. I told you to stop. I didn't want that." He argued weakly, breathing becoming labored with anxiety. "I tried; I tried to get awa-"

"Do you tell yourself that every day now? That you fought back with everything you had?" Claude sneered. "A teenage girl would have put up more of a resistance than you did." He scoffed at the thought. "You didn't stop it, because you couldn't. You're too weak; a pathetic little brat whose success was only due to the fact that your father was the head of the company that hired you." The man laughed lowly, the noise dark and menacing. "Does repeating that nonsense help you sleep at night, little Phantomhive? Does it keep Michaelis from viewing you as something other than tainted goods? A dirty little slut?" Ciel wheezed, his head starting to spin from lack of oxygen as he struggled to breathe.

"No, no." He mumbled, angst seeping icily throughout his being and making him shiver. "You can't hurt me now; you have no power of me." Ciel whispered to himself, desperately trying to hold onto what little self-control he had left from slipping away. "I'm worthy of love, what happened doesn't matter and Sebastian still lov-"

"Nice eye patch." Claude interjected, a slow smirk spreading across his face. "I must say, most people couldn't pull off such a thing without looking ridiculous, but you, Phantomhive; tell me something. Do you use it in you sex life now? You and Michaelis role play Pirates of the Caribbean to make it seem sexy instead of disgusting?" He hummed as he watched the young man start to emotionally and mentally crumble in front of him.

"Oh come now, no reason to be such a prude." The man cooed sweetly, clacking his tongue. "We both know how much you love a good, rough pounding." Ciel winced as Claude chuckled at the shudder his question caused. Seeing the effect his words were having, he went on, "I'm amazed that Michaelis would still want you after all that. It must really piss him off, knowing that I had a taste of his innocent little virgin." He grinned manically as Ciel dropped to his knees and placed his hands on the dirty ground, panting for air.

Ciel gasped and choked; his heart racing in his chest as he felt the panic start to rise within and consume him. This was a bad idea, wanting to be alone with Claude. He should have never told Sebastian to leave, he needed him here by his side to support him, keep him safe from the poisonous words that flowed from the venomous snake's mouth. Horrifying memories flooded Ciel's mind, everything thing that Claude did to him that day; the pain, the fear, the feeling of being utterly helpless and at the mercy of another human being.

He wheezed as lithe fingers dug into the floor, one wide eye staring at his hands, hallucinating bloodied, torn nubs there instead of clean nails. This wasn't real; he couldn't be having another episode, not after he had been doing so well in therapy all this time. Not when he had just gotten to the point where he could be intimate with Sebastian; feel the love between them and reciprocate that affection. Sebastian loved him; he loved him so much that he gave up everything just to be with him.

Ciel gasped as realization dawned on him, the epiphany racing through his being like lightening; Sebastian loved HIM. Him, Ciel Phantomhive, he loved him before, during and after what Claude had done and it had not mattered to the man one bit. For in Sebastian's eyes, he was perfect and no matter what anyone else did to try to change that, the man would never view him as anything less. Ciel was still the same person from before; just more experienced and having learned a life lesson or two, but he was still Sebastian's Ciel. He was still HIM.

Slowly, Ciel stood up, taking the time to dust off the knees of his suit before brushing the dirt from his hands. Reaching up, he pulled at the knot tied in his hair, releasing the black eye patch that disguised his marred eye from the outside world. Thin fingers pushed the slate bangs behind his ear, leaving the lilac orb visible and exposed to his once attacker. Calmly, he took another step at Claude, leaving only an arm's length between them.

"Do you see this eye?" Ciel asked softly, pointing at his face. "I see it every day when I look into the mirror. It's a reminder, you understand?" He leaned down a fraction to give the man a better view. "Of what happened and how I did fight back. For if I hadn't tried to get away, I would never have received such an injury." Ciel cocked his head to the side, observing the infuriated expression growing in the man's face. "But it doesn't really matter anymore, because when Sebastian looks at me he doesn't even notice it. Because, you see, Claude, when you truly love someone, like Sebastian and I do, you see so much more than their outward appearance. You fall in love with their very soul." He nodded at the accuracy of his statement.

"And while you may have violated my body, my soul remained clean of your filthy touch. It belongs to Sebastian, my whole being is his." Stepping back, Ciel crossed his arms over his chest, a self-satisfied smile playing on his lips. "But you wouldn't know about that, now would you? The immense joy of giving yourself over to another person completely and loving them more than life itself? No, I don't expect you could understand that." The man growled at the observation, fists white knuckled as he pulled against his bindings.

"You can't hurt me, Claude Faustus. You may think you can, bringing up all those horrifying images and replaying the past." Ciel confirmed quietly as the man snarled lowly at him. "But that's all they are now; images of things that no longer have power over me, not when I have a life filled with love and happiness to live." He took a quick step back as Claude lunged towards him, the restraints the only thing holding the man in his seat. "What you did, and yes, what YOU did, NOT what I let happen or wanted." Ciel clarified, raising an eyebrow for good measure. "May have been a huge event for you, but in my life it was just another incident; an obstacle that I needed to overcome, and I can promise you that I have and will rise above it." Turning in his heel, he walked a step away before a loud cry stopped him in his tracks.

"You really think you can just forget about that!" Claude screamed, eyes alight with fury and rage. "I will continue to haunt your dreams, Phantomhive! In the back of your mind, I will always be there, whispering and reminding you of how for only a moment I made you my whore!" Ragged breaths fell from his lips as he waited for a response from the young man who had just dismissed him so easily.

Ciel let out a long sigh, shoulders slumping in defeat before whirling and striding purposefully back where he had stood previously. A smug smile crept over Claude's face as he recognized a dark emotion burning deep within the bi-colored spheres; his soul practically purring from having inflicted another blow past the young man's seemingly sturdy wall of self-confidence.

"You're right." He stated matter of factly. "You will always be there, somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind, whispering horrible things and making me question myself and there is nothing I can do about that." Ciel blinked innocently at him. "There is no real way for me to exact true revenge for what you did to me. And I wouldn't want to because, unlike you, I don't enjoy the suffering of others." Claude chuckled at the comment, feeling victorious.

Suddenly, Ciel grabbed his tie and wretched the man forward, the chair tottering on its two front legs precariously. "But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy watching you suffer on someone else's behalf." He hissed into Claude's surprised face. "Alois says hi." Blue-indigo eyes blazed as his hand shot out to grab the man's crotch and twisting the sensitive member violently.

An atrocious high-pitched cry filled the room as tears streamed down Claude's face. Ciel listened to each tortured note that ripped its way from the man's throat, delighting in the anguish that emanated from it. He finally let go when Claude passed out from the excruciating pain, letting him fall to his side on the floor with a low thump and a loud clattering sound.

Looking down, he watched as Claude began to slowly regain consciousness, but Ciel had no desire to deal with the man anymore when he finally awoke. Wiping his hand off on his pants, he made a mental note to disinfect it thoroughly when they got back to the hotel. Ciel walked up the steel door and pounded on the metal with his fist a few times until he heard the sound of a lock clicking open.

Sebastian appeared first, crimson eyes wide and worried as they landed on a tranquil Ciel. "Are you OK?" He whispered, enveloping the young man in his arms tightly. Pushing back, he inspected Ciel's face for any signs of distress. "I wanted to come back in so badly, but Agni told me that I should respect your wishes." Ciel smiled softly as he watched the bodyguard walk over to Claude, kneeling down to inspect the condition of the barely conscious man.

"Agni is very smart." He affirmed, watching Sebastian's jaw drop at the sight of his former colleague moaning pitifully on the ground. Ciel wrapped his arms around the man's and hugged himself closer to the tall frame before looking back to each other.

"What happened?" Sebastian breathed, an astounded expression coming over the handsome face as he noticed the content smile on the plump lips. "What did you do?" Ciel just smirked and shook his head, pushing up on his tiptoes to give Sebastian a quick kiss.

"I'll tell you later." He whispered against his lover's mouth. "For now, let's go home." Grinning as Sebastian nodded before kissing him passionately, effectively blocking out anything and anyone else besides the two of them and their little world.

* * *

The low hum of massive engines filled the first class cabin as the plane swiftly flew through the night sky and across the Atlantic Ocean. An attractive flight attendant walked up the aisle, checking on each passenger as she passed to see if they needed anything. She smiled softly at the young man whose single blue eye opened lazily just as she passed by.

Ciel yawned and groaned a little as he rolled around in his seat. First class was way better to fly than coach, especially on long international flights, but he still preferred his own bed and couldn't wait to get back to the States where he would sleep off the jet lag in the comfort of a king sized mattress. Turning to the side, Ciel set gaze on Sebastian next to him, the man peacefully asleep as the ebony bangs gently caressed his face. He smiled at the sight while thinking about all the things that had led them to this moment over the past year.

In a little under twelve months they had met, fallen in love, broken up, gotten back together and endured more than their fair share of hardships. Yet, at the end of it all, the two of them had emerged with a stronger bond than they ever thought possible. Sure, there were still many challenges ahead, but was there really anything that they couldn't face as long as they had each other? Ciel mulled over the thought, nodding absentmindedly in affirmation.

Carefully, as to not disturb the slumbering man, he laced their fingers together and lightly brushed his thumbs over the large knuckles. Laying down again Ciel watched Sebastian sleep, feeling full of love and adoration for him as his eyes began to grow heavy. He closed them knowing that when he awoke Sebastian would be there to greet him and every day for the rest of their lives.


	35. Chapter 35

A constant ticking sound filled the room as Ciel watched the minute hand move ever more slowly across the clock's face; only ten more minutes to go. He sighed as he turned his gaze back to the ceiling, noticing the tiny cracks in the paint as he lay on his back, hands clasped together over his chest.

"And how does that make you feel?" Undertaker asked lightly, feet propped on top of his desk as he chewed on one of those oddly shaped cookies. The silver-haired man grinned at his patient sprawled out on the couch in his office. "Angry, frustrated, depressed?"

"Relieved, I guess." He answered honestly after a moment of contemplation. Not looking over at the therapist, "It's good to finally get an answer from an expert and not having to wonder about it anymore." Involuntarily, he reached up and touched the damaged eye in question, still trying to get accustomed to the fact that he wasn't wearing the eye patch any longer. Ciel thought he would have been used to the eye being exposed by now; it had been weeks since he and Sebastian had left Abu Dhabi, the black cloth having been forgotten on the floor of the small room where so much had happened.

After departing from the Middle East, the two had settled back into a normal routine. However, this form of normalcy took the shape of working on starting up the new company. Every day Ciel would contact old clients and inform them that Sebastian Michaelis was once again working in the industry, offering them to join up with a new firm. He couldn't believe the amount of correspondence he was expected to keep up with, but Ciel was more than happy to be a part of this exciting new venture. He had yet to meet Tanaka; however, Sebastian assured him that he would in due time.

Neither of them knew what became of Claude once they had left the confines of the small underground room. It was up to Prince Soma to decide what punishment would be considered suitable for embezzling money from someone of the royal family and Ciel did his best not to think about all the horrible things Agni might be capable of doing if ordered by his master.

It didn't take long; however, for the news of FPE's fraudulent contracts to make headlines in the national business publications; courtesy of Prince Soma and the information they had provided him. The Securities and Exchange Commission went right after Vincent Funtom, turning the once golden child of the private equity world into the equivalent of financial leper. Lawsuits from wronged clients poured in, drowning the firm and freezing all forms of professional activity. It wouldn't be long until the company [filed for bankruptcy](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8606557/35/)due to the extraneous legal fees and mostly likely jail time for the CEO. If Claude ever resurfaced, which Ciel and Sebastian severely doubted, he too would be spending some quality time behind bars.

As much as Ciel delighted in seeing the immoral man brought to justice, he was also worried about the fate of his former colleagues from the New York office. He hadn't spoken to Finny, Mey-Rin or Bard since he had left for London originally, but was well aware that if FPE closed its doors that the three would be out of a job. Sebastian, however, had eased his guilt by telling Ciel that he had been in contact with them and would be doing everything in his power to find them suitable new positions in whatever field they chose. The offer of assistance was also extended to Ronald to whom Sebastian still felt he owed so much to for being there for Ciel when he wasn't. The actions made the young man smile at seeing the sense of personal responsibility the former executive displayed towards his old staff and friends. They would be fine as long as Sebastian had a say in it.

That was a few weeks ago and since then things had calmed down. The newspapers no longer deemed the corruption at FPE a top news story and the two were happy to not have to see the issues they had been dealing with for so long being thrust in their faces on a daily basis. Ciel resumed his sessions with Undertaker, who welcomed him back from his trip with an unsettling wink and a giggle. The young man couldn't shake the feeling that the odd man knew exactly what had transpired across the ocean, but never bothered to ask, knowing he would only get a cryptic response in return.

Today, Ciel was almost finished with their session; most of the conversation having been about the doctor's appointment he had just come from beforehand. Sebastian was out in the waiting room, no doubt working, while he let Undertaker rummage around in his mind for another hour this week.

"Tell me what the doctor said." The therapist instructed, humming a jaunty tune as he waited for Ciel to answer him. "Did you like her?" The young man craned his neck to glance back at Undertaker, scowling when it looked like the man wasn't even paying attention.

"She was fine." He mused out loud, flopping his head against the armrest again. "We had to call Dr. Landers to get a new referral since I wasn't in London anymore." Ciel added, smirking as he was reminded about the odd surgeon who had always needed to prompt everyone that 'cleanliness was next to godliness' constantly. Sighing, he recalled the events from the appointment he had just left.

Dr. Angela Blanc was an ophthalmologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. She was a tall thin woman with short white hair and deep purple eyes; her demeanor was gentle and caring making Ciel feel at ease almost instantaneously. He sat there calmly as the specialist gazed into his impaired eye and asked him various questions about the injury. Finally, she took a few x-rays and ran a few vision tests before seeming satisfied with the data they had collected.

Leaving Sebastian and Ciel alone in the examination room to study the results, the two made small talk to pass the time. The young man did his best to hide his nervousness while waiting for the final verdict on the damaged eye. In the end, however, any hopes of recovering his lost vision were dashed when Dr. Blanc informed him that the blindness was permanent. She shook her head and apologized, stating there was just too much scarring in the cornea. Ciel sighed and hopped off the table, thanking her before scooting out the door with Sebastian and into a cab waiting downstairs to take them to see Undertaker.

It wasn't until the door on the vehicle slammed shut that Ciel let his brave face fall and buried his head into the supportive shoulder next to him. He cried quietly and made low whimpers as Sebastian held and soothed him, his tears a mixture of disappointment and relieved tension. He had known it was a long shot that his sight might return, but up until this point, he had still believed that maybe there was a chance. In the end, hearing the final diagnosis was both a blessing and curse.

"So, the good doctor just reaffirmed what you already knew." Undertaker commented on the story, receiving a nod. "But you are no longer covering it up, I see. Do you think this means you've accepted your eye as part of yourself? Kekekekeke." Ciel frowned at the man's inappropriate laughter, even after all the time they had spent together, he still found the therapist a bit creepy.

"It is a part of me." He affirmed strongly, knowing it was nothing, but the truth. "Just like what happened in London, it's just another chapter in the story of my life." Undertaker giggled again and Ciel turned his head to glare at the man. "And there are still plenty of blank pages left for me to write." He watched as the man unfolded himself from behind the desk and sauntered over to lean against the bookshelf, green spheres peering over at his patient from between long silvery bangs.

"Pardon me for asking," He began and Ciel rolled his eyes at faux show of manners. "But what did your dear mother say about the new addition of metal to your head?" Therapist grinned widely as the young man nervously grasped an earlobe between his fingers, feeling the piercing through the soft flesh.

The sapphire stones had been a gift from Prince Soma given to him before they left the hotel. They were apparently heirlooms and coincidently also matched the gem placed carefully on his thumb. As soon as they landed, Ciel had made a beeline for the Jewelry District and had them pierced into his ears, something that Sebastian had been wary of, but now enjoyed nibbling on when they fooled around

"She, um, she said she liked them." He answered slowly, dragging out each word as he averted his gaze. Ciel thought back to the quick trip he and Sebastian had taken to Pennsylvania last weekend to see Rachel. The intent of the visit to finally tell Rachel about what had gone down in London and to introduce the older male as his boyfriend. Ciel was not sure which of the two discussions he was more nervous about.

Rachel had listened quietly over dinner as her only child informed her of the embezzlement, how it was uncovered and then what actually happened to Ciel. Sebastian held his hand under the table, squeezing it every now and then and giving him the support he needed. However, it wasn't until he showed her his discolored eye that the woman broke down into heavy sobs, blaming herself for what had happened. Ciel held his mother as she wept; telling her over and over again that there was nothing anyone could have done.

After two hours of answering various questions about why the incident wasn't reported and how could Ciel's own father be so cruel and dismissive of his only son, Rachel asked to speak with Sebastian in private. She hugged the young man and kissed his forehead, saying that she just needed to make the newly revealed boyfriend aware of some things. Ciel gave her a wary look and advanced into the living room, curiosity abound in his mind as to what she was going to say to Sebastian.

He waited in the on the couch over an hour, the door opened and Ciel's jaw dropped at the sight of his lover stepping out. Sebastian's face was pale and he looked a little intimidated by whatever had been discussed. Rachel followed close behind, her petite frame leaning against the doorway with a stern expression that made Ciel think twice about asking any questions. It was later told to him by Sebastian that Rachel had threatened to castrate him and bury his body in a pasture if he ever did anything to hurt her precious baby boy; a promise that the six foot tall male knew she would make good on.

By the end of the trip, things had calmed down and they all laughed as they said their goodbyes. Sebastian knew Rachel would be watching him closely from now on and he couldn't blame her. He knew how precious Ciel was and he vowed to her before they left on his parents' graves that he would do everything in his power to make sure to love and protect him until the day he died. A promise that had Rachel nodding in agreement and smiling a little brighter.

"Ahhh, time's up." Undertaker proclaimed, walking over to the door and resting his hand on the knob. Watching as Ciel stood up and stretched, "Same time next week, little earl?" He chuckled at the irritating nickname and how it still garnered an annoyed look even after all this time.

"Is there any way I could get out of it?" He replied, stepping through the now open door and into the waiting room. His eyes landed immediately on Sebastian who was busy typing furiously on his blackberry. The sight made Ciel smile, knowing the answer to his own question. "Yeah, same time next week." He confirmed, waving over his shoulder to Undertaker as he walked away.

The therapist watched with amused eyes as the two collected their things before heading out the door. He noticed how Sebastian laced their fingers together and listened to the easy conversation that passed between them. Undertaker knew without a doubt that Ciel would be coming back to him for as long as it took to be happy and healthy again, because there was nothing someone wouldn't do for the person they truly loved.

* * *

Autumn was a beautiful month in the city. The leaves were changing in Central Park and fall festivities were picking up everywhere as the beginning of the holiday season was just around the corner. The weather today was particularly nice, breezy and sunny with the chance of an afternoon thunderstorm. It was because of this forecast that Ciel and Sebastian now strolled hand in hand back to the condo in midtown after having lunch with Alois and Luka.

It was the first time either of them had met the student who Alois was constantly gushing about and Ciel was planning thoroughly questioning him about his intentions regarding his best friend. His planned proved pointless; however, after spending only a few hours with the couple. It was blatantly obvious that the two young men were deeply infatuated with one another and Ciel could honestly say he had never seen Alois more happy. Luka's calm, but chipper personality balanced out his boyfriend's erratic gregarious nature and every little quirk about that blonde that most people would find annoying or odd, the student seemed to adore. In essence, they were a perfect match.

Walking home, Ciel mulled the scene over in his head as he held onto Sebastian's hand and glanced up at the sky. "I think it's going to rain after all." He commented, scowling at the dark clouds looming overhead. "We'd better hurry if we don't want to get caught in a downpour." No sooner had the words left his mouth than a few drops spattered onto the sidewalk, followed by a low rumble of thunder.

Sebastian tugged his hand as they increased their pace, but the effort was futile as two blocks from their destination the heaven's let loose and heavy rain poured down upon them. Ciel struggled to keep up as long strides dragged him along, running at full speed into the building as another bolt of lightning tore through the sky. Panting, they entered the condo drenched from head to toe, water dripping off their clothing and hair.

"Ech!" Ciel grumbled, wringing his hands to rid them of some of the moisture. "Should have brought an umbrella." He shivered and rubbed his arms, the cold temperature of the condo pricking at his damp skin.

"We should get you in the shower to warm up." Sebastian advised, concern evident in his tone. "Your body never tolerates cold well and I don't want you getting sick." He teased, earning a pout in response. Grabbing Ciel's arm, "Come you, we'll shower together." Sebastian soothed as they walked through the bedroom into the master bath.

Ciel stripped the wet clothing from his frame, letting it fall into a pile on the tiled floor. It would have to be added to the laundry basket at some point, but for right now it could just stay where it was. He willed his teeth not to chatter as Sebastian turned the water onto full blast, the stream almost instantly heating up and causing steam to rise. He dashed into the blissful warmth and sighed happily as the hot liquid poured over him, reinvigorating his frigid skin. Ciel hummed a light tune as Sebastian stepped in behind him, making him jump when the cool chest pressed up against his now heated back.

"Geez, ahhhh, you're cold!" He yelped, turning around and pushing himself away from the source of the chill. Sebastian chuckled at his lover's reaction and stood under the faucet head; rewetting himself with clean water. Ciel grumbled as he wrapped his arms around the toned waist, shivering with delight when he felt adept fingers run through his hair and massaging his scalp.

Sebastian buried his face into the wet slate locks before trailing kisses down a temple only to suckle on the piercing in the small lobe. "Alois and Luka seem very happy together." He murmured, Ciel moaning lightly at the attention being given to his sensitive ear. "I'm glad they found one another. Life is terribly lonely if you miss discovering your other half." Sebastian breathed, pulling them closer together.

"Mmnnn, I know." Ciel managed to get out while craning his neck to the side, mewling quietly as the delicate skin was lavished with light nips and kisses. "I'm, ahh, happy for them too." He closed his eyes and let Sebastian take purchase of his body, hands roaming where they wanted, a warm tongue tasting and exploring his shoulders and neck.

Small hands slid down to greedily knead a muscular ass, grinding their hips together and emitting a low chorus of wanton moans. Ciel opened his eyes to gaze up at the lust filled crimson, desire seeping throughout him. His own arousal ached to be touched and he bucked his hips forward to rub their hardened members together.

Pulling Sebastian's head down to whisper in his ear, "Bedroom. Now." He exhaled before biting carefully into the soft flesh. The man growled low in his throat, giving the luscious rump a playful smack that had Ciel frowning as he bounded out of shower.

Lightening ripped across the clouds, illuminating the darkened room as two figures fumbled their way towards the bed. Sebastian couldn't keep his hands off the lithe physique that gasped and groaned at every kiss and caress. They almost stumbled to the floor at one point and both knew that they would not make it up again once they lay down. It was almost a miracle when Ciel's back hit the mattress, his body bouncing up only to be covered immediately by Sebastian's own; the man instantly resuming where they had left off in the bathroom.

"Ahh, yes." Ciel hissed, back arching as an ebony head moved down him, long fingers tweaking the pert pink buds on his chest. "Mmmnn, Sebastian." He whimpered, eyes screwed shut as teeth roughly bit into his hip bone. Slim thighs parted to let the larger form rest between them, pre cum smearing over the toned chest as Sebastian positioned himself over the throbbing member. A hot breath ghosted over the flushed head and he smirked at the fine shudder that reverberated throughout Ciel.

"You really want this, don't you?" He teased, eyes flicking up to the panting mess that was his lover. Ciel whined and tried to push his hips up in an affirmative response, but was quickly held down by a strong hand. Lifting the rigid flesh upright, a pink tongue darted out and dug into the slit, collecting the salty leaking liquid and humming at the flavor. "Oh baby, you taste like heaven." Sebastian complimented, wrapping his mouth around the tip and sucking gently.

"Fu-ahhhh, mm mm." Ciel cried, fingers entangling themselves the soft dark locks as he writhed beneath the talented tongue. "I-I, ahhhhn, I want-it." He moaned lewdly as he was fully engulfed, the hot wet cavern sucking him in and driving him crazy. "Seb-ah, pl-please!"

Sebastian hummed as he swallowed around the head, earning another round of curses from above. Tentatively, an index finger massaged the puckered entrance and applied a light pressure to the area. Ciel ground himself against the probing digit, silently requesting him to continue. He hadn't been penetrated since the attack, but in this moment, there was nothing he wanted more than to feel Sebastian inside of him. Glancing down, Ciel caught the man's eyes, trapping them with his own.

"I want you." He pleaded desperately. "Touch me. Feel me. Love me, please." Blue/violet held ruby red as his member was released with a low pop; an annoyed whine of protest leaving Ciel's lips at the sight. "What? No, don't stop." Sebastian smirked at the childish plea and chuckled as he pushed himself further down, spreading the trembling thighs wider apart.

Hands gripped the fleshy rump and pulled Ciel's hips up, a small cry of surprise was heard when the young man felt a warm lively muscle prod at his entrance. Sebastian lapped at the puckered hole, listening to the rapid breathing increase with excitement overhead. Slowly, he added a slim finger, pushing it into the tight space, licking and teasing with his tongue in tandem.

"Ahh, more." Ciel demanded, head falling back against the pillow as Sebastian prepared him thoroughly. He groaned lightly as a second digit was added, thighs shaking with anticipation as small hands tightened their grip in the silky dark hair. "Mmnnahh."

Sebastian prodded the warm orifice, his licks lubricating the delicate area while he stretched Ciel's insides as gently as possible. His own need begged to be touched and the prospect of being able to envelope himself in that sweet heat only aroused him all the more. However, he wanted to make sure that Ciel was ready to be taken again with as little discomfort as necessary, so rushing at this point was not an option.

Suddenly, the small body seized up as a high pitched cry was released into the air, the sound letting Sebastian know he had brushed up against the sensitive spot hidden deep within him. Quickly, he moved to swallow Ciel whole again, sucking hard and hollowing out his cheeks around the engorged flesh as he forcefully pushed the young man on, stimulating him from inside and out. Ciel's fingers ripped Sebastian's scalp, the pain making the man wince as he continued the pleasurable assault.

"I'm coming! I'm, ahhhh, coming!" He practically screamed, back arching violently off the sheets as Sebastian released his hips and let him thrust up will reckless abandonment. He had always loved the way Ciel lost all composure and timidity when he orgasmed; letting his instincts take control as he fell over that blissful cliff. "Fuck yeah." He moaned, as the sticky hot fluid shot into the back of the awaiting throat; loud slurps voraciously taking everything he had to offer.

The soft member was released again with a sloppy pop as Ciel panted for air, eyes trying to focus as he came down from the extreme high. Sebastian crawled over him, quickly engaging the parted lips with his own, letting the tastes of himself and his lover's pleasure mingle together in the searing kiss. Ciel gripped the broad shoulders, pulling their bodies flush as he eagerly reciprocated, tongues playfully rolling over each other.

"You want to get on top?" Sebastian whispered against the plump mouth before kissing it again, a quiet whimper answering the question. Ciel deftly moved off his back and on top of Sebastian, pushing the man down against the bed so he could straddle the slender waist beneath him. Immediately he went about licking and sucking every available patch of skin on Sebastian's chest, light gasps and throaty moans showing their appreciation for his actions.

Taking a pink nipple between his teeth, Ciel bit down while small fingers tweaked its twin. Hips moved down until a leaking angry head brushed with his wet entrance, the feeling making Sebastian instantly grab the pert mounds and grinding his hips upwards.

"Ride me." He begged with ragged breaths as Ciel sat up, hands pressing flat on the firm chest. Smirking, he wiggled his hips, pushing his ass down onto the hard length and pulling another desperate sound of need. "Please, let me feel you ther-hah, yes!" Sebastian cried out as Ciel's fingers encircled him while pressing blushing tip against his hole.

"How bad do you want it?" He cooed, positioning himself to hover above the massive erection. Sitting down and forcing the tip into him, Ciel grimaced and teased through the pain. "Do you want me to ride you till you pop like warm champagne?" Strong hands grasped the spread quads and squeezed hard, heavy pants falling from the desperate man. He chuckled at the handsome face, red eyes lidded with unbridled want and need. Ciel loved seeing Sebastian like this; needy and driven past the point of insanity by his own lust. "Tell me how much you want it." He whispered, slowly taking in another inch.

Ciel yelped in surprise as hands left his legs to land firmly on his hips, placing a vice like grip on his body and holding him in place. He struggled a bit, knowing that it was useless and gulping nervously as he glanced up to see Sebastian smirking at him.

"I don't think I need to tell you that." He smiled, rubbing circles into the small hipbones. "I would much rather show you." Sebastian informed, holding Ciel in place as his hips jerked up and earning a groan of pleasure laced with some pain. He let out relieved sigh when the fleshy bottom finally made contact with his upper thighs, the swollen cock completely sheathed inside the tight space. "M-move, ah, when you're ready." Sebastian managed to get out, wanting to let Ciel adjust to the considerable girth once again after so long.

"Ahhh," he panted heavily as he tried to move; the action proving difficult as his lower half was now being impaled by the pulsating member. Placing his palms flat on the sculpted torso and using it as leverage, he raised his hips slowly up. "Ahh, hahh, damn." Ciel cursed at the feeling of himself being emptied except for the bulbous head. Eyes locked for a moment, a passionate look being shared right before he slammed back down, engulfing the engorged muscle once again. "Fu-ahhh!" He cried out, head flinging back as the deep penetration rammed directly onto his prostate.

Sebastian groaned at the sensation of being fully enveloped in the intense heat again. "So fucking hot." He murmured, watching Ciel gasp for air as he tried to regain some of his lost composure. Smirking, Sebastian reached around and gripped the spread cheeks before delivering a quick, harsh spank to one. A resounding smack echoed across the room and Ciel froze; eyes wide with shock.

"Ow!" He spat, giving the amused man a death glare. "What was that for-gahhh!" Ciel shouted as Sebastian's palm made contact with his behind again, earning him another murderous look. "What the hell!" Anger rolled of him in waves until a well-aimed thrust up had Ciel moaning lewdly, eyes rolling into the back of his head.

"You made quite a promise before." Sebastian panted, fingers digging into the supple ass and holding the small form in place as he jerked his hips up again. A low whine left the young man's lips as he almost blacked out from the pleasure being caused at the abusing of the sweet bundle of nerves within so forcefully. "I expect you to make good on it." He breathed as he started a fast and unrelenting pace in and out of Ciel.

"I-ahn, I-fuck." He choked out, head flinging back as another wave of ecstasy crashed down on him. "M-more. Fa-ahhhh-ster!" Ciel begged, fingers digging into the taut stomach and pushing down to meet each of Sebastian's thrusts. "So, good." He moaned, eyes screwed shut as he rode on top.

Ragged breaths and loud moans filled the room, the sound of damp skin making contact over and over only adding to the symphony of their lovemaking. Ciel wailed as he pushed against Sebastian, his body trembling from the onslaught of such pleasure. Strained muscles clenched and sucked Sebastian in with every movement, the sensations making him groan lewdly. Together their bodies danced in sweet synchronicity, nothing existing in the world except for the two of them.

"So tight, baby." Sebastian gasped, nails digging into Ciel's skin as the young man bounced and ground upon him. Releasing his grip on the young man, long fingers wrapped around the leaking erection that slapped against his abdomen. Ciel made an intelligible cry as his aching need was being stroked in time with their movements.

"Yes, God yes!" He screamed, as he felt the coil in his belly tighten further, release just moments away. "Sebastian, com-I-ahhhnn, hahh." Ciel moaned pitifully, air being more important now than words. Their hands intertwined, the fingers lacing through one another and anchoring them together.

"I love you, Ciel." Sebastian forced out with heavy breaths, squeezing the small hand tighter and fisting the throbbing cock. Sweat trickled down his face, physical exertion evident in both their movements.

"Me too! I love you!" Ciel managed before seizing up and climaxing loudly, his seed running down Sebastian's hand and stomach. The admission and clenching muscles pushed his lover over as well and he released deep inside the sensitive cavern, the sticky fluids making Ciel whimper at the feeling.

Exhausted, he collapsed over Sebastian, coming to lie directly on top of the panting man underneath. Strong arms wrapped around him, cradling the damp forehead into his chest. Ciel fought for oxygen as he listened to the rapid beating of Sebastian's heart, the sound incredibly soothing and comforting. Whining, the now soft member was slipped out and he adjusted himself so he could look him in the face.

Ciel smiled softly as he took in the extremely disheveled appearance of Sebastian, perspiration making the dark bangs stick on the sides of his face. Leaning up, he placed a light kiss onto the panting lips, letting the man take control and pulling him even closer. Sebastian hummed happily at the affection before breaking the kiss to gaze into the indigo eyes.

"Do you want to take another shower?" He teased, caressing the swell of the small cheek with the back of his knuckles. Glancing down at the drying fluids coating their bodies, he smirked. "We're all dirty again." Ciel sighed and shook his head, snuggling further into the warm embrace.

"No, nap." He mumbled, eyeing the water that trailed down the windows. Thunder rolled somewhere in the distance, signaling the rainstorm had yet to let up. "Just hold me a little while longer." Ciel yawned and closed his eyes, smiling at feeling the vibration of Sebastian's chuckle against his face.

"My pleasure." He whispered, placing a gentle kiss to the crown of the slate colored head and settling down to join Ciel in his slumber. Sebastian's eyes slid closed as he breathed, "I'll hold you as long as you like and never, ever let go."

The heavens continued to rain down upon the earth, washing away the ugliness and dirt; if only for a moment. And much like the lives of the two sleeping in the high rise condo, the earth was given a chance to start anew; heal from the scars of the past and move onward to a brighter and better future. Together, they would continue their journey through life, facing each challenge that arose with the comfort of knowing that someone would always be there for them; supporting them; loving them.

Two strangers, each leading separate lives, had found one another to form a bond of comfort, hope and love. Each person giving and taking in a partnership based on trust and respect; the two halves fitting together to make a perfect whole. It had been a long and winding road filled with obstacles and societal pressures that should have kept them apart, but in the end, neither could resist the slow and steady seduction of the relationship that would transform them both into the people they were today. And this is how they would remain; friends, lovers, partners, and soul mates for now until the end of their lives.

 

_**The End**_

__

_**Author's Note:** _ _Let me start off by saying thank you to everyone who took the time to read and/or review this story. It has been a journey for me not only as a writer (I'm not one, mind you), but as a person and I would like you to know that if not for each and every one of you who have commented or favorited or followed A Slow and Steady Seduction, this story may never have been brought to the level it is today. By that I mean, the original plot ended at 15 chapters right after Sebastian took Ciel's virginity. As you can see, that was not the case. It took 35 chapters to tell this tale; a plethora of plot lines and an epilogue that I will be posting in the middle of next week._

_I know many of you have been upset by the ending of ASASS and believe me when I say that its culmination is just as emotional, if not more so, for me than you. However, I do believe that this is a good ending to this literary work of power, lust, wealth, and love. I may revisit it one day and write a sequel to this involving Sebastian and Ciel and their journey through life, but at this moment, the story is finished._

_As much as I would love to give a shout out to all the people who have meant so much to me during this time, it really would take another entire chapter just to thank you properly. That being said, if you post a comment, I will reply and answer any questions you may still have about ASASS._

_As some of you may know, I had my reasons for writing this story. It was bigger than me just being bored and trying to find something fun to do on a Sunday afternoon. There was an issue that I found important to point out, and while it may seem trivial to others, it was the main driving force behind the creation of A Slow and Steady Seduction. I am not a writer, I never claimed to be, I'm just a person who had an idea and the motivation to create a story based on some amazing characters._

_I wanted to write about the corporate world and homosexuality because, despite the fact that the US is becoming more and more progressive in its thinking, there still are many industries where one has to hide their gender preference in order to be successful. I'm not pointing fingers at any particular field nor do I have experience with one area being more close minded than another, this all came solely from the fact that I know people who work in industries where being "out" is not a good thing._

_ASASS was born from this thought process of wondering what it would be like to be gay in a world where being out was not acceptable. (Think Tom Hanks in Philadelphia.) So, I picked a notoriously "old boys club" type industry and placed the characters into that world at different stages of their lives and careers. Regardless, there are still many businesses that use homosexually as a way of weeding out individuals and as a basis of whether or not someone should be hired or retained by a company. I don't think I need to state how incredibly wrong that is._

_It is my hope that maybe a story like this can help someone deal with having to keep their gender preference hidden. People shouldn't have to hide who they are in order to do what the love or what they are successful at. In the end, you can't take money with you and those who only covet wealth usually lead a very cold and lonely existence._

_Again, and I cannot say this enough, thank you to everyone who gave me the encouragement and drive to write this massive story. I am in the process of putting together another fanfic, so I will not be disappearing for long. However, without you all, none of this would have been possible._

_Until next time, thanks for reading and reviewing._

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	36. Epilogue

_**Author's Note:** _ _So, you all know how much I love to add music references to my story, right? At the end, there are lyrics to a song which best describes the tone of ASASS. If you want to get the full effect, go ahead and have a listen, it's beautiful. And now, onto the epilogue._

_One year later . . ._

"And I told her, that's what she said!" He paused, waiting for the laughter to ensue only to receive four pairs of eyes rolling in unison. "Aw come on, you get it, right? That's what she said." Bard reiterated, giving the joke one last go before sitting back and taking a sip of his beer. "You guys are boring." He muttered.

"No, we just have taste." Mey-Rin pointed out, giving him a knowing look over her glasses. The blonde grumbled something about needing to find new friends as she turned her attention back to those sitting across from them. "Speaking of good taste, have I mentioned how much I like those earrings, Ciel?" She purred, winking at the young man.

It was just like old times, the group had assembled at their favorite table at Ted Montana's on a Friday afternoon. The only difference was the addition of Sebastian, who sat by casually sipping on bourbon, observing the interactions of the people he used to call his subordinates. Now, they were just great acquaintances, each one having moved onto to something else and living their lives separate from one another.

Finny, who quietly nursed a soda through a straw, had gotten job at the Bronx Botanical Gardens. Ciel was surprised when he first heard of the new employment, but when he thought back, he remembered a large collection plants throughout the New York office that Finny used to tend to. He was always watering them and carrying on conversations like they were real people. Once when Ciel had asked Finny about it, the short blonde had just smiled and said that plants had feelings too. By the silly grin that appeared on the former receptionist's face every time he spoke about his current job, everyone knew that he was in the right place professionally.

Mey-Rin had left the financial world to pursue her dream of opening her own rifle range. She apparently had licenses to not only own guns, but also to teach and sell them as well; something that in the liberal state of New York was very difficult to come by. Ciel now wondered if she had concealed hand gun on her the entire time that they had worked together. When he asked, Mey-Rin just laughed nervously and changed the subject, the obvious avoidance of the question making him narrow his eyes in scrutiny.

Bard, however, could not keep himself away from the alluring call of business and so, he let his inner entrepreneur run free in the form of a food truck. Bard's Bangin' BBQ was now situated on various street corners throughout the Big Apple. Serving up flame kissed (burned) pieces of meat (maybe chicken) covered in a savory sauce (ketchup, it really is just ketchup) to the hungry masses (tourists). Ciel had somehow managed to avoid eating there, even though Bard had promised him a free meal. As much as the young man applauded the endeavor, getting food poisoning was just not on his to-do list this year.

"Don't even think about it, Mey." Ciel smirked as he fiddled with the jewel on his earlobe. "These were a gift from Prince Soma himself and I'm not lending them out to anybody." She stuck out her lower lip in an over exaggerated pout, feigning massive disappointment.

"He's not lying." Sebastian commented, poking a finger playfully at his lover's cheek. "He won't even take them out when he showers." A quick swat of his hand had the man chuckling. "It's an absolute bear to deal with when we're making out; always getting stuck on something." He teased, earning a scowl in return.

"I thought you said you liked sucking on them during sex." Ciel stated boldly, raising a taunting eyebrow and moving his face closer so they were eye level. "In fact, I seem to remember you mentioning wanting me to get another piercing on my di-"

"Ahhhhh, that's more than enough information, Ciel!" Bard cut in quickly, the entire table giving him surprised looks at the outburst. "I don't need to know what it is that two dudes do together in the bedroom." He stuck out his tongue while making a gagging noise. "If you keep talking about stuff like that I won't be able to get it up later for Sierra." Everyone groaned and rolled their eyes again at the mention of Bard's new girlfriend; everyone except Finny who just kept smiling and slurping on his soda.

"Really, Bard. Can't you call her by her real name?" Mey-Rin chastised lightly. "I mean, we all know what she does for a living and have met her, so you don't have to keep reminding us of her place of employment." Heads nodded in agreement as a single one just shook negatively.

"Nope." Bard stated proudly, puffing out his chest like the alpha male he thought he was. "If I call her by her real name then it destroys the mystique of her being a stripper." He hummed happily at the logic in his mind. Glancing down at his watch, he stood up. "Speaking of which, I need to get going. Sierra is off tonight and I promised to make her dinner at my place. "

"No wonder she stays so thin, if she's letting Bard cook for her." Ciel whispered loudly so the entire table could hear. They all laughed, resulting in an annoyed Bard stomping out of the bar and yelling back about one day they would miss him when he was gone. "We need to get going as well." He noted, receiving an affirmative nod from Sebastian.

The group stood and said their goodbyes, Mey-Rin and Finny heading in one direction while Ciel and Sebastian went hand in hand in the other. The weather was balmy with a slight breeze that seemed to hint to the chillier days ahead. Ciel snuggled closer next to the warm body as they continued back to the condo. Once home Sebastian sighed as he pulled the buzzing blackberry from his pocket and frowned at the number.

"Is it Tanaka?" Ciel inquired as he walked into the living room. He stretched his back and groaned a little as it made a low popping sound. In the background he could hear Sebastian having a conversation with whoever had just called him.

True to his word, Sebastian had formerly introduced Ciel to his mentor. Approximately six months ago, the two men had rented some office space downtown. It wasn't anything fancy, just something small and simple that they could use as a professional location to put on letterhead and bring clients to for meetings; and bring clients they did. Business was going very well for the small financial firm and pretty soon they were going to have to start searching for a larger office to house the new employees they would be hiring.

When FPE eventually went belly up, old clients of Sebastian's sought him out. The word through the grapevine being that Prince Soma Kadar had signed a rather lucrative deal with a former Funtom executive and his partner and that their boutique firm was about to be the next big thing in private investments. Before long, the pair actually had to turn away business and it was about that time Sebastian had brought in Ciel as a junior consultant.

The young man was thrilled to be an integral part of the firm's growth and he relished the fact that he got to work with Sebastian again every day. Ciel had been working behind the scenes up until this point, being the men's assistant/office manager/web designer/gopher and anything else they needed. He was learning more about the industry than ever before, but it was Tanaka that seemed to provide him with the most knowledge interestingly enough.

When Ciel met Sebastian's mentor he thought the man looked more like a grandfather than a consultant. Tanaka was tall and slim with a kind smile and gentle demeanor; he spoke in a firm, but soft voice, never showing his temper and doting on Ciel like he was his grandson. However, it was in a meeting with a new client that the young man finally got to see the man in action and he realized the unassuming persona was only a guise Tanaka used in his personal life. The professional version of the man was polite with a take-no-prisoners attitude that instilled confidence in prospective clients and brought fear to competitors. All in all, Ciel couldn't be happier with his professional life now.

"Hey you." He smiled, looking down at a fluffy black tail curling around his leg. Ciel bent down to pick up a purring Krimson, scratching the tuxedo's head between his ears. "Did you miss us? Hmm?" The cat butted the small chin in response making him chuckle as the action tickled. "Who was that?" He asked as Sebastian sauntered out of the kitchen and into the living room. Krimson struggled in his grasp, demanding to be let down so he could go exploring again.

Ciel complied and released the animal, curiously wondering where and what the animal was going to do next as it sprinted out of the room. Long arms wrapped around the small waist from behind, startling the young man for a moment as a light kiss was placed in the crook of his neck.

"That was Agni, if you can believe it." Sebastian nipped gently along the delicate throat, trailing his way to the soft earlobe and sucking gently on the pierced ear. Ciel shivered at the feeling and closed his eyes, leaning back into the firm body. "He and Soma are at JFK right now. They will be here within the hour." Blue/violet snapped open as the Ciel whirled around, mouth gaping wide with disbelief.

"You mean they just showed up unannounced?" He squeaked, Sebastian chuckling at the predictable reaction. Grinding his teeth together, Ciel huffed in annoyance. "That's such a Soma thing to do. Show up with no warning or any notice whatsoever." He whined as he was pulled into his lover's chest, burying his nose into the broad shoulder and inhaling deeply.

"Don't worry about it." Sebastian soothed, smirking. "We'll just introduce him to Alois. I'm sure those two will get along famously." Ciel laughed lightly, tilting his head up to look into the warm red eyes.

"Yeah, after a week of watching Alois and Luka being all lovey-dovey twenty-four-seven, Soma will be begging to go back home." The two laughed at the mental image and Sebastian leaned forward to press their foreheads together. "Soooo, we have an hour, huh?" Ciel purred, his voice laced with intention.

"What should we do until then?" Sebastian hugged the small body closer, rubbing the tips of their noses together. He hummed as he thought, crimson burning into indigo. "I have an idea. That is, if you're up for it?" Ciel smirked at the innuendo, pushing up onto his toes to meet the parted lips hovering above his own; giving an answer filled with promises of love, hope and happiness in that one kiss.

* * *

_"I've waited a hundred years_

_But I'd wait a million more for you_

_Nothing prepared me for_

_What the privilege of being yours would do._

_If I had only felt the warmth within your touch_

_If I had only seen how you smile when you blush_

_Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough_

_Well I would have known_

_What I was living for all along_

_What I've been living for._

_Your love is my turning page_

_Where only the sweetest words remain_

_Every kiss is a cursive line_

_Every touch is a redefining phrase._

_I surrender who I've been for who you are_

_For nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart_

_If I had only felt how it feels to be yours_

_Well I would have known_

_What I've been living for all along_

_What I've been living for._

_Though we're tethered, to the story we must tell_

_When I saw you, well I knew we'd tell it well_

_With the whisper, we will tame the vicious scenes_

_Like a feather, bringing kingdoms to their knees."_

_Turning Page by Ryan O'Neal (Sleeping At Last)_

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Blue](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1754955) by [BlackRoseEden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackRoseEden/pseuds/BlackRoseEden)




End file.
